PHOENIX — The Arizona Media Association is hosting a debate between Arizona's candidates for Congressional District 6, Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R) and Kirsten Engel (D).
ABC15 is partnering with the Arizona Clean Elections Commission and the Arizona Media Association to bring you race debates and discussions.
You can watch the debate in the player below.
Ciscomani and Engel faced off for the same House seat in 2022, with Ciscomani winning the seat by just over 5,000 votes.
Kirsten Engel served in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2017 to 2021, and briefly in the Arizona Senate in 2021 before dropping out to run for Congress in the 2022 General Election.
Engel graduated from Northwestern University’s School of Law. She teaches environmental and administrative law at the University of Arizona, where she is also the co-director of the Program on Environmental Law, Science and Policy.
According to her campaign website, Engel is focused on combating drought and rising utility costs, reproductive freedom and abortion access, lowering prescription drug costs, and expanding access to affordable healthcare.
Engel is also focused on securing the southern U.S. border while reforming the immigration system and strengthening social security benefits.
Engel is endorsed by Senator Mark Kelly (D), Attorney General Kris Mayes (D), and Emily’s List.
Learn more about this race and many more major races in this November's election in our ABC15 Arizona Voter Guide.
Juan Ciscomani is the incumbent who was elected to the seat in 2022. He currently sits on the House Committee on Appropriations and the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. Previously, he worked as an aide to former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (R).
Ciscomani was born in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, and grew up in Tucson, Arizona. In 2023, Ciscomani delivered the GOP’s response to President Biden’s State of the Union address in Spanish.
According to Ciscomani’s campaign website, he supports increasing border security, with a plan to “end catch and release,” renew building the southern U.S. border wall, and reinstate the "Remain in Mexico" policy.
Ciscomani initially praised the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022. According to his campaign website, Ciscomani is against abortion, but “rejects the extremes,” noting he is against the federal abortion ban and is “for timetables and exceptions, including for rape, incest and the life of the mother.”
He supports the military, veterans, and first responders, and believes in “securing America’s energy independence,” according to his campaign website.
