Arizona 6th Congressional District candidates: Where they stand on issues

The Arizona Republic sent a brief questionnaire to the candidates in Arizona's 6th Congressional District.

The district covers most of Pima County, including most of Tucson, and Cochise County.

Kirsten Engel is seeking the Democratic nomination unopposed.

Incumbent and first-term Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., is facing a GOP primary challenge from Kathleen Winn.

The candidates' responses are below.

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The candidates are listed in alphabetical order by party.

Democratic candidate

Kirsten Engel

• Occupation: Professor at the University of Arizona Law School
• Relevant experience: Served in the Arizona Legislature for 5 years. 
• Age: 62
• Party: Democrat

Name two big problems facing the district you’re running to represent and how you would address them if elected.

We must protect the rights and freedoms of Arizonans and strengthen protection of our water resources. We as women must have the right and ability to make our own healthcare decisions, including decisions related to pregnancy and abortion. In Congress, I’ll work to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act to restore Roe v. Wade and implement legislation protecting access to IVF and birth control. Decisions by my daughter, and indeed by all women, about starting or adding to a family should be up to us and our doctor, not politicians.

Our communities, our unique and spectacular environment, and our way of life here in southern Arizona depend on having a reliable supply of clean water. We need to manage and conserve our water and stop big corporations, whether from the U.S. or Saudi Arabia, from depleting our water reserves. One of the most important jobs our representatives have in Congress is to secure investments in our water infrastructure for our neighborhoods, farms, and businesses. I will fight for our fair share of the Colorado River and for measures that strengthen the security of our water supply. These include upgrading our infrastructure investments, adopting cutting-edge technologies to stretch and reuse our water supply, and employing better conservation measures.

Which recent political figure do you most admire, and why?

I admire Gabby Giffords, the former congresswoman for this district and now the national leader on preventing gun violence that continues to ravage communities here in Arizona and across the nation. Gabby is rock-solid in her values, a strong leader, thoughtful, independent-minded, and accessible. When tackling some of the hardest issues one can face politically or personally – whether it’s gun violence or aphasia – Gabby invariably reaches out to a broad spectrum of people to determine the right path, create coalitions, and build support for the way forward.

What specific actions, if any, should Congress take to make life more affordable for ordinary Arizonans?

Lowering costs for Arizonans must be a top priority for Congress. I will work to pass legislation making it easier for working families to get by.  We can:

• Lower the costs of groceries and consumer goods by cracking down on corporate price gouging
• Lower energy bills for homeowners and businesses by providing affordable options to transition to lower-cost clean energy while creating good-paying jobs in southern Arizona
• Reduce prescription drug costs by allowing Medicare to negotiate with the pharmaceutical companies on more drugs – and extending those savings to all Americans
• Adopt a public option to reduce the costs of health insurance for working families
• Improve access to high-quality and affordable healthcare for people living in our rural areas
• Make housing, especially starter homes, more affordable by supporting efforts to build more homes, renovate housing in poor condition and create programs to help families afford to buy and rent homes
• Support the ability of workers to bargain collectively for fair wages and benefits
• Ensure our veterans receive quality healthcare and the benefits to which they are entitled
• Protecting the long-term viability of Social Security and Medicare.

What specific actions, if any, should Congress take to reform federal immigration policy?

We must secure our border and fix our broken immigration system. Washington’s failure to do so is hurting our security, our economy, and our Southern Arizona communities. In contrast to my opponent, in Congress, I will work in a bipartisan manner on these issues. Faced with the opportunity to support a historic bipartisan bill that would make real progress on both border security and immigration reform, Rep. Juan Ciscomani rejected the bill out of hand, choosing instead to play politics with our safety and our border communities. Over and over again, politicians in Washington have shown that they look out only for themselves and not the communities they serve.

Real solutions must start by fully securing our border and increasing processing capacity so that the trade that boosts our economy and that Arizona businesses depend upon does not suffer setbacks such as what happened on Rep Ciscomani’s watch - the closing of the Lukeville Port of Entry for a full month in December 2023 during the height of the pre-holiday shopping season. We need more Border Patrol agents on the ground, more immigration judges and personnel to process migrants requesting asylum and we must install state-of-the-art inspection and monitoring equipment to stop the flow of fentanyl and illegal drugs through our ports of entry. Reforming our now woefully out-of-date immigration laws by providing citizenship status to our DREAMERS, updating our work visa system, and funding our migrant shelters to prevent street releases, all must be priorities.

I’ll fight to secure the border and pass comprehensive immigration reform that fixes our broken system for the long term, rather than kick the can down the road and allow these problems to continue.

What do you believe is the biggest threat to national security, and how should we handle it?

It is critical that we stand up to the threats posed by a rising China and an expanding Russia. We are seeing continuous instances of Chinese espionage attempting to steal our technological secrets and most innovative business advances. China continues to threaten Taiwan and its democratic self-government, while committing genocide against its own people and eradicating democracy and human rights in Hong Kong. And it is building up its own domestic industry to challenge our dominance in key manufacturing and economic areas that will define the future balance of power. We must protect our economy here at home while maintaining the strongest military in the world to keep China in check and building strong alliances that send a message that democracies worldwide will stand up for freedom and human rights rather than repression and dictatorship.

In the meantime, Vladimir Putin, Russia’s dictator, continues his brutal attempted take-over of Ukraine. In Congress, I would support continuing aid for Ukraine to stop Putin’s efforts to expand Russian control that we can expect will not just stop with Ukraine.

In supporting our military installations - two of which, the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and Fort Huachuca, reside in Congressional District 6 - Southern Arizona can do its part to protect our national security. Our role in combating climate change is critical as well, as the Department of Defense has recognized that rising sea levels, catastrophic storms and other climate change effects threaten our military as well as our civilian infrastructure and drive migration patterns.

What would you change about the US’ response to climate change, if anything?

Here in Arizona we have a tremendous opportunity to become a world leader in clean energy that can grow our manufacturing sector, create tens of thousands of good jobs at good wages, and supercharge our economy for the future. Growing our clean energy production and manufacturing will not only fight climate change, but done right will lower energy costs for Arizonans and strengthen our communities. I will fight for robust investments in clean energy technology, manufacturing, and job training so that Arizonans are able to gain the skills needed for jobs in this growth field.

Climate change carries health and economic risks for the entire population, especially our most vulnerable citizens, our indigenous communities and communities of color. We also must protect Arizonans from the effects of climate change, such as wildfires and extreme heat. We must ensure that all communities have resources when dangerous heat waves strike, including neighborhood cooling centers and emergency services that can save lives. We need to support our farmers when extreme weather threatens harvests. And invest in our water resources for the long term.

Our young people should not be burdened by our failure to tackle climate change. We can and need to act now. In Congress, I will make climate action a priority.

Do you feel confident that the 2024 election will be held securely and fairly? If not, what are your concerns?

Yes. American democracy is the strongest in the world and our elections are free, fair, and accurate.

Our country will continue to be free only so long as we remain vigilant in protecting our democracy and the ideals upon which our country was founded. The attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, was a horrific attempt to overturn an election in which Arizonans and the American people made their voices heard. Six police officers died from defending our democracy that day and dozens were injured. We must never allow such an attack on our democracy to occur ever again.

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Republican candidates

Juan Ciscomani

• Occupation: U.S. congressman 
• Relevant experience: Husband, dad; built career in Southern Arizona advocating for our local economy at Tucson Hispanic Chamber and as Senior Advisor to Governor on AZ-Mexico relationship
• Age: 41
• Party: Republican

Name two big problems facing the district you’re running to represent and how you would address them if elected.

Border security is by far the most significant issue facing our district, and our entire country. The Biden administration has completely failed to keep our country secure, and we must change course. Additionally, too many Arizonan families continue to feel the impacts of inflation through the cost of living and affording basic needs of food and rent. The reckless spending by career politicians in Washington, D.C. has made things worse for Arizona families.

Which recent political figure do you most admire, and why?

I respect the work of former U.S. Representative Jim Kolbe. He dedicated over 20 years of his life representing southern Arizona in Congress, understanding the importance of staying focused on producing results. He served under both party majorities, multiple presidents and built a reputation of working across the aisle for the benefit of his constituents. He was also a champion of Arizona’s trade relationship with our number one trading partner, Mexico, while prioritizing border security. But what he is mostly remembered for is always being accessible to the constituents and district he served. I met Jim nearly 20 years ago while a student at Pima Community College. His mentorship, leadership and later friendship were unmatched. He took on tough issues, seeking to work with those who wanted results, not play politics. In times like today, we must work together, regardless of political affiliation, for the good of those we serve.

What specific actions, if any, should Congress take to make life more affordable for ordinary Arizonans?

For starters, quit making it worse. Under the direction of President Biden, my Democratic colleagues are now talking about raising taxes.  That’s the last thing we should be doing right now. And some of the extreme policies we are seeing around energy, would further increase costs on gas and electric bills. I will continue advocating for a common sense approach – fiscal discipline while protecting the programs our seniors and veterans need the most, like Social Security and Medicare.

What specific actions, if any, should Congress take to reform federal immigration policy?

I am the first immigrant from Mexico elected to Congress from Arizona and know this issue from personal experience. Today, we have a crisis at the border that must be addressed. Immigration laws must be updated, cross-border trade and commerce needs to continue to thrive and the border must be secured. There should be an all-of-the-above approach in regards to federal immigration policy. First, we must stop the flow of illegal immigration pouring across our border in record, unsustainable numbers. We can do that by ending catch and release, reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy, end the abuse of the parole authority, expand expedited removal and finish the wall.  We also need more resources for law enforcement to increase the number of full-time Border Patrol officers, while allowing them to be able to use the legal tools to apprehend those who are coming here illegally and breaking the law.

What do you believe is the biggest threat to national security, and how should we handle it?

From our national debt to cyber security to our border crisis, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is the single largest threat to our national security. Right now, military-age men from across the world, including the CCP, illegally cross our southern border. The CCP’s ownership of social media and online companies enables them to be able to spy on our citizens. The ingredients to manufacture fentanyl are produced by the CCP, shipped to Mexico for production and smuggled into the United States killing thousands of Americans each year. In recent years, the CCP has purchased farmland across our country. And the global national security threat the CCP poses to Taiwan and many of our allies is most concerning. In a time when our nation should drive peace through strength, there are ongoing wars and imminent threats from communist leaders across the globe.

What would you change about the US’ response to climate change, if anything?

Keeping Arizona and our world protected, especially our air and water, are important. Don’t forget, Barry Goldwater himself said it’s “the right of our people to live in a clean and pollution-free environment.” This must be balanced with making sure our policies don’t hurt everyday Arizonans, and I’m concerned that the extremism from my opponent and the Biden administration are doing just that.  We need more innovation in the climate tech space. I would love to see Arizona become a climate tech hub where enterprising minds come to our state to build tomorrow’s climate innovations. We should be able to responsibly care for our environment and our beautiful state while simultaneously supporting the economic growth of our booming economy.

Do you feel confident that the 2024 election will be held securely and fairly? If not, what are your concerns?

Yes, and the important thing is for every American to exercise their civic duty and vote. This election is important, and it will be close. In Arizona, voters have historically voted early and everyone should be confident in doing so. Every vote will count, so I encourage every Arizonan and American who can — to vote. I am grateful for the professionals and the volunteers across our state who work tirelessly for a fair and secure election.

Please take this opportunity to mention any other important issue you’dlike to discuss.

For too long, our community hasn’t had a voice in Congress or an active member in our community. I’m from Arizona, and for Arizona, and am honored to represent my community in Congress. Listening, working with, and finding solutions with people we don’t always agree with has become a lost effort. Not with me. I am committed to produce results for my district and be a voice for the people who elected me. As a dad of 6 kids, an immigrant, and proud product of the American Dream, I want to ensure that the same opportunities, and even better ones, that were granted to me are also available for the next generation. That’s what my parents did when they moved our family to the U.S. My dad drove a bus his whole life so that I could drive positive change for my community.  And I’m committed to do exactly that.

Kathleen Winn

• Occupation: Advocate, business woman, mother, grandmother
• Relevant experience: My entire life has prepared me for the Congress. 30 years in business, my work at the Attorney General's Office fighting sexual exploitation, human smuggling, and sex trafficking. My time serving on the Maricopa Community Colleges Governing Board.
• Age: 65
• Party: Republican

Name two big problems facing the district you’re running to represent and how you would address them if elected.

PROBLEM 1) THE BORDER> Arizona and particularly CD6 is the southeast corner of the state and contains the border between Mexico and the United States. Arizona is beyond capacity to responsibly take care of the influx of people, drugs, and related crimes as a result of the planned coordinated invasion. The Congress has the power of the purse and should have shut the government down until the border crisis and relentless immigration surge is controlled. I support giving law enforcement and prosecutors every available resource to secure our borders and protect our communities. At the same time, I support the deportation of every illegal person in this country. The people of CD 6 should know that saying you will secure the border and ensuring it gets done are distinctly different.. My actions and votes will be correlated to the promises I make to the constituents of this region of the state. We must return to Constitutional principles and the rule of law. I will stand up for this country against all enemies foreign and domestic, especially if those enemies are working together for the destruction of our great REPUBLIC. We should detect those here illegally, disrupt the flow of drugs and humans, and dismantle criminal enterprises operating in our state and border. No other business should be done until this is taken care of.

PROBLEM 2) GOVERNMENT SPENDING> Our current national debt is roughly 35 trillion dollars and continues to rise every 100 days. When elected we must reduce the size of Government and the spending associated with programs that do not have congressional oversight. The Federal Government is not Santa Claus. Focusing on a balanced budget and creating reserves is possible and necessary to return financial stability to this nation. I would vote to hold those accountable that receive funding and show where the dollars are being spent. Also limit spending outside of the approved budget. The government was never intended to pick winners and losers in conflicts, business, and medical decisions. Today we are interfering with the average American's life and limiting our freedoms by involving us in policies and protocols that are adverse to our way of life we have enjoyed for 248 years.   

Which recent political figure do you most admire, and why?

Easy choice: Eli Crane has earned my admiration. As a Freshman Congressman Eli campaigned on a set of promises and has voted 100% in line with the promises he made. He ran with the Navy Seal Pac and even stood up to them when they wanted his votes. Eli Crane puts God first and is direct and honest. He did not go to Congress to make friends or be important but to do a job and serve this nation. He took a bold stance against Kevin McCarthy when McCarthy abused his power. Eli's moral courage and strength are inspiring to me and as a new leader he has excelled in his mission.

What specific actions, if any, should Congress take to make life more affordable for ordinary Arizonans?

Congress needs to reduce government, make us energy independent, secure our borders and take back operational control, restore law and order, return to world peace, protect our allies, bring back manufacturing to the US, support cattle growers, dairy farmers and agriculture in the US, punish those who seek to do us harm, make our military strong, and remind us all of our religious freedoms and faith in God. When America works for her citizens the world works. All of these actions will work to reduce the obscene cost of living we are currently experiencing.

What specific actions, if any, should Congress take to reform federal immigration policy?

The current administration's policies are causing thousands of deaths in our nation. From fentanyl to illegal immigrant generated crime we have weakened our nation and military aged men from 160 countries pour in. Immediately, we must end catch and release and stop incentivizing illegal immigration as Congress just did recently in the 1.2 trillion dollar appropriations bill. We just provided money to support development in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras with little or no accountability as to how the funds are being used. Shelters and NGOs are profiting from the grants being offered to the multitude of services being provided to the 10 million plus illegal aliens in our country. Stop the flow of illegal immigration children who appear to be given to large trafficking networks in our country and many are missing. We need to attract the best and the brightest from around the world, not empower the Central American and Mexican cartels that have set up shop and are profiting from our complete failure to follow policies that were working prior to this administration.  

What do you believe is the biggest threat to national security, and how should we handle it?

The biggest threat to national security is the unknowns. Who are the gottaways that have entered our country? What is the CCP's primary objective as they purchase land around our military bases, poison us with bio weapons and fentanyl? We know Hamas, Hezzbolah, Al Qaeda and cartels have cells in our nation. Identifying the subversives and removing them is the highest priority. What information, technology or weapons have been gifted or given to known enemies to create unrest and terror in our nation. We have been providing munitions to Israel and Ukraine, but not replenishing our own stockpile. How do we expect to remain a safe nation with so many breaches? How I would handle it is to shut down the border, identify foreign enemies and immediately remove them from this nation. Properly empower our law enforcement border patrol and have mass deportations. Also hold Mexico and all other countries accountable for allowing their citizens to subvert our laws. Our laws are to protect us, not create chaos in our nation. The flow of money to continue to support open borders needs to end immediately.

What would you change about the US’ response to climate change, if anything?

The climate change conversation has been highly politicized. I am a fact-driven person. I believe by bringing in experts, we can arrive at a consensus on a narrow set of climate issues and work to see meaningful change in well-defined areas of concern. I think we have gotten ahead of ourselves with electric car mandates and the banning of gas stoves in some areas. 

Do you feel confident that the 2024 election will be held securely and fairly? If not, what are your concerns?

I feel confident we have an election date. Define securely and fairly. Chain of custody, obsolete voter rolls, Federal only ballots, signature issues, ballot printers and machine malfunctions. Arizona election laws need to be more precise. I personally would like to see mandatory voter identification, precinct voting. limit the time early ballots are available to be voted, paper ballots and hand counting. Accuracy and following the laws. Finally, when errors are called out by the public or candidates, and they are bullied by a legal process intended to protect the voter and the vote, that is a violation of a fair election. I feel competency would be a good baseline and restoring confidence if we have an error-free election.

Please take this opportunity to mention any other important issue you’dlike to discuss.

As I look to the future, it occurs to me that our children are under attack in this country. Hyper-sexualization, gender dysphoria, normalizing minor sexual activities and child sex trafficking. Compound this with low cost of drugs, isolation, suicide, and displacing traditional education with woke agendas. We must protect our next generation and fight back against those who want to destroy America. I will not quit fighting for the people of this district, our state and country. Saving lives is what is necessary to restore God and Country. Vote for someone who wants to represent you and serve the people of the great state of Arizona.