The border was the most discussed — and the most contested — issue in Tuesday night’s debate between Republican Congressman Juan Ciscomani and Democrat Kirsten Engel, who are competing to represent Congressional District 6 in southern Arizona.
Engel criticized Ciscomani for not working to pass a sweeping border security bill earlier this year that had bipartisan support but was ultimately blocked by GOP lawmakers at the urging of former President Donald Trump.
“He rejected it, just like the rest of his caucus. It fell apart. This was the best opportunity we had for a significant step in terms of border security, he rejected it,” Engel said after the debate. She accused Ciscomani of caving to party leadership and Trump to kill the bill.
Ciscomani pushed back on that. “Trump never called me. No one told me how to vote,” he said.
Ciscomani also said the legislation wasn’t ready, and that Engel is distorting things by implying he had the power to pass it unilaterally.
“I believe in border security, but I also believe in immigration reform. Being pro-border security doesn’t mean that we’re anti-immigrant. That is something that we need to get very straight here. I am an immigrant, and I’m proud of it, and I’m also pro-border security and pro-trade,” Ciscomani said.
Ciscomani is a naturalized Mexican-American citizen who lives in the border district encompassing part of Tucson. He worked as vice chair of the Arizona-Mexico Commission under former Republican Gov. Doug Ducey. Ciscomani told Engel that in her years as a state lawmaker, she doesn’t have much to show for it when it comes to the border.
Engel also noted in the debate that she doesn't think Democratic President Joe Biden did everything right on the border, accusing him of being “late” to see the “crisis” it was becoming.
Engel ran against Ciscomani and narrowly lost in 2022 but says the thing that will make this election different is that Ciscomani now has a track record for voters to examine.
Arizona has a 15-week abortion ban with only exceptions for the life of the mother. A measure on the ballot would allow abortions up to fetal viability (around 24 weeks), plus later-term abortions if a health care professional deems it necessary.
Ciscomani was asked several times both during the debate, and afterward by reporters, what his position is on how far abortions should be restricted, and whether he supports the 15-week law or the abortion access ballot measure. He would not say either way.
“I’ll be clear again: this belongs to the states. This is a very personal issue, a very personal decision for people. I oppose a national ban,” Ciscomani told reporters. “I'm not sure where you think I’ve been ambiguous on this.”
In the debate, Engel disclosed -- for the first time publicly – that she has had miscarriages. When asked whether she believes in any restrictions, Engel said she doesn’t think there should be a ban based on a set timeline measured in weeks and didn’t list any legal restrictions she supports on abortion.
“I don't trust you with my health care, I’m sorry. I don't trust you with my daughter’s health care,” she told Ciscomani.
Ciscomani noted multiple times that a nonprofit’s yearly report ranked him as the most bipartisan congressman from Arizona. He also touted his position as the only freshman lawmaker on the powerful House Appropriations Committee.
The top concern for CD6 constituents seems to be the high cost of living, according to Ciscomani. He said the solution is cutting government spending.
Engel said the government should expand law enforcement’s authority to go after price-gougers and stop price-fixing for things like medication and housing.
Finally, on water, Engel criticized Ciscomani for something the Ducey administration allowed — a Saudi Arabian company using Arizona’s groundwater to grow and export alfalfa to feed Saudi cattle.
Ciscomani said those water decisions were not his, just because he was an adviser to Ducey.
Ciscomani and Engel both said Arizona water should be for Arizonans first.
Ciscomani said that as evidenced by the Valley’s presence in the desert, Arizona does have a good record of water management, but Engel disagreed.
“We haven’t done a good job of it,” she said. “There is so much more we can do.”
