Ciscomani Expands Lead Over Engel to 2,415 Votes in Arizona CD6 Following Latest Update

U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani has gained a lead over Democratic challenger Kirsten Engel in Arizona’s CD6 race, now ahead by 2,415 votes following recent tally updates from several counties. After initially trailing by approximately 14,000 votes earlier in the week, Ciscomani and Engel have sharply contested the lead as results came in from Pima, Cochise, Pinal, Greenlee, and Graham counties.

As of Saturday, Ciscomani secured 173,654 votes against Engel’s 171,239. However, the race remains too close to call due to a significant number of early ballots that still need counting. Pima County officials estimate around 97,918 ballots remain uncounted, although not all will pertain to the CD6 race since the district does not encompass the entire county. Additional estimates indicate 31,900 ballots in Cochise County, 4,023 in Pinal County, 7 in Graham County, and just one in Greenlee County.

Both candidates expressed that it was premature to declare a winner, emphasizing the considerable number of votes still awaiting tabulation. This contest serves as a rematch of the 2022 election, where Ciscomani narrowly defeated Engel by less than 2 percentage points. Pima County comprises 74% of the district’s voters, with Cochise and Pinal counties accounting for about 12% and 10%, respectively.

The district exhibits a Republican lean, with 36% of voters identifying as GOP, 31% as Democrats, and 33% unaffiliated. Election officials expect to continue counting votes throughout the weekend as they validate remaining mail-in ballots via signature checks.

The final tally for the election may not be complete until next week, as voters have until Sunday to address any irregularities with their ballots. In Cochise County, an emailed bomb threat led to the evacuation of the main election center, hindering the counting process further. Technical difficulties on Thursday exacerbated the situation, delaying tabulation efforts. Officials stated the count would recommence on Sunday.

Pima County also faced threats on Election Day, linked to a series of emailed bomb threats believed to come from Russian-associated addresses, but operations continued unimpeded. The circumstances surrounding the election and its counting process have drawn considerable attention, heightening the stakes in this competitive race.