Engel and Ciscomani will face each other in a televised debate on Thursday

U.S. Representative Juan Ciscomani and Democratic challenger Kirsten Engel will meet for a televised debate Thursday evening.

The young Republican narrowly defeated Engel in the 6th Congressional District two years ago. The district in southeastern Arizona tends to lean Republican: 36 percent of voters identify with the GOP, 31 percent as Democrats, and 33 percent do not belong to either of the two major parties. But in 2022, Engel was less than 2 percent, or 5,232 votes, behind Ciscomani.

Engel, a former state representative, has criticized Ciscomani for his votes to restrict abortion access and his ties to a conservative organization whose leaders support “restoring biblical values ​​to your neighborhood, your state and your nation” and oppose abortion and LGBTQ rights. Ciscomani served on the board of the Texas-based Patriot Academy.

Ciscomani has boasted that he is considered one of the most bipartisan members of the House and that he has brought federal funding to the 6th Congressional District, CD6, which includes districts in Pima, Pinal, Cochise, Graham and Greenlee counties.

He criticized Engel as “unworldly and elitist.”

The half-hour debate, moderated by Arizona PBS, will air live in Phoenix at 5 p.m. on KAET-TV, Channel 8 and on azpbs.org, and in Tucson at 6 p.m. on AZPM’s PBS 6 and NPR affiliate KUAZ Radio, 89.1 FM.

Ciscomani and Engel have agreed to meet for a second debate on October 7. This Clean Elections/Arizona Media Association forum will be broadcast on select television and radio stations and streamed live on various news websites, including TucsonSentinel.com.

The candidate forums have a busy week ahead of them:

Thursday, August 29: The five candidates – incumbents Ravi Shah, Sadie Shaw and Natalie Luna Rose, and challengers Pilar Acosta Ruiz and Esteban Flores – running for three seats on the Tucson School District Board are invited to speak about their campaigns. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson. 5:30-7 p.m., YWCA Southern Arizona, 525 N. Bonita Ave.

Saturday, August 31st: Candidates for Pima County Board of Supervisors in Districts 1 and 3 are meeting for a forum. In District 1, Democratic Supervisor Rex Scott faces a rematch against Republican Steve Spain, who lost to Scott by just 730 votes in this swing district, which includes constituencies in Oro Valley, the Casas Adobes area and the Catalina Foothills. In the race for an open seat in District 3, Democrat Jen Allen is taking on Republican Janet Wittenbraker. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters. 10:30 a.m. to noon in the Amethyst Room at Pima Community College, 1255 N. Stone Ave.

Tuesday, September 3: Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, a Democrat seeking a full second term, is scheduled to face his Republican challenger Heather Lappin. Sponsored by Clean Elections. 6 p.m. via Zoom and moderated by Tucson Sentinel reporter Jim Nintzel.

Tuesday, September 3: Three Democrats – Joshua Polacheck, Jonathon Hill and Ylenia Aguilar – are taking on three Republicans – Lea Marquez Peterson, Rachel Walden and Rene Lopez – who are running for three seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission, which is in the process of deciding what kind of clean energy subsidies are appropriate. Sponsored by Clean Elections and the Arizona Media Association. 6 p.m. on select TV and radio stations and online.

Wednesday, September 4: Incumbent Reps. Nancy Gutierrez and Chris Mathis, both Democrats, are running against Republican Leonard “Len” Rosenblum in this Democratic-leaning district that includes the Tucson metropolitan area. Sponsored by Clean Elections. 6 p.m. via Zoom.

Thursday, September 5: Incumbent Sen. Brian Fernandez of the 23rd Congressional District is running against Republican challenger Michelle Altherr for the Senate seat, and the Democratic slate of incumbent Reps. Mariana Sandoval and Matias Rosales is running against incumbent Republican Rep. Michele Peña for two House seats in that southwestern Arizona district. All candidates except Peña have confirmed they will participate. Sponsored by Clean Elections. 6 p.m. via Zoom.

Tuesday, September 17: Second District Precinct Supervisor Matt Heinz, a Democrat seeking a second term, is scheduled to face Republican John Backer in the Democratic-leaning district that includes downtown and South Side Tucson and extends to the Sahuarita area. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters. 5:30 p.m. Eckstrom-Columbus Library, 4350 E. 22nd St.

Thursday, September 19: Candidates for House and Senate seats in the 17th Legislative District, which includes districts in Saddlebrooke, Marana, Oro Valley, Eastside Tucson and Vail, are gathering for a forum. Republican Vince Leach, who just defeated incumbent Sen. Justine Wadsack in the Republican primary, is running against Democrat John McLean in the race for an open Senate seat, while in the race for the House seat, incumbent Republican Reps. Cory McGarr and Rachel Jones are running against Democrat Kevin Volk. So far, only the Democratic candidates have pledged to appear. Democrats are hoping for unexpected victories in this heavily Republican district. Sponsored by Clean Elections. 6 p.m. via Zoom.

Saturday, September 28th: Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat seeking a second full term, is scheduled to meet with her independent challenger, Tucson Unified School Board member Val Romero. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson. Quincie-Douglas Library, 1585 E. 36th St.

Monday, October 7: Last day to register to vote in parliamentary elections

Wednesday, October 9: Republican Kari Lake and Democrat Ruben Gallego, facing off in one of the most watched Senate races in the country, are scheduled to face off in a televised debate. The face-off, hosted by the Arizona Clean Elections Commission and the Arizona Media Association, is set for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on select television and radio stations, as well as online news platforms such as TucsonSentinel.com.

Wednesday, October 9: Pima County sends ballots to voters in advance

Friday, October 25: Deadline to apply for early voting at the Pima County Recorder’s Office

Tuesday, November 5: election day