U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Tucosn, in May 2024. Photo by Gage Skidmore | Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
Former Democratic state lawmaker Kirsten Engel conceded her race against incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani Wednesday afternoon.
Engel was aiming to unseat Ciscomani in the hotly contested battle to represent southern Arizona’s competitive Congressional District 6, which includes the eastern half of Tucson and stretches to the state’s southern and eastern borders. The race has been a priority for Democrats hoping to flip the seat blue this year.
“The voters have made their decision and we must respect that,” Engel said in a statement on X , formerly Twitter. “While we came up short, I couldn’t be prouder of the work we put in to give voice to the needs and aspirations of Southern Arizonans in Washington.”
The race, which has not yet been called by the Associated Press, has seen the two candidates bounce back and forth for the lead. However, in recent days, Ciscomani has maintained a solid lead over Engel and is currently ahead by nearly 7,000 votes.