Engel in the lead in CD6 Tuesday night

The race between incumbent Republican Juan Ciscomani and former state legislator Engel has been one of the most competitive in the state.

Engle refused to comment on the race or her campaign during an election party in downtown Tucson Tuesday night, but her campaign sent out a statement.

“It’s clear that we aren’t going to know who won this race tonight, and maybe not for several days,” the statement said. “While we continue to monitor the returns, we must ensure that every lawful vote is counted and the will of the voters of Arizona’s Sixth is carried out, no matter how long it takes. I am honored to have received so much support over the past 2 years and I wouldn’t be here without everyone who volunteered, donated, and, over the last few weeks, voted. We are grateful for the support of Arizonans.”

The district includes part of Tucson, with nearly 400,000 registered Pima County voters. It also encompasses Oro Valley, Marana, Green Valley, and Vail, as well as parts of Pinal and Graham counties, most of Cochise County, including Sierra Vista, and all of Greenlee County.

This year's race was a repeat of 2022 when then-political newcomer Ciscomani won the race by just more than 5,000 votes. It took nearly a week until the race was called during that election.

Ciscomani spoke early Tuesday night from his election watch party in Oro Valley.

"I'll always fight for an economy that works for our families, communities that are safe, veterans to be prioritized, and seniors to have their benefits protected as well,” he said. “This is how we led, focused on solutions, and focused on people. That is our priority. We are in the people business."

With abortion and border security being driving topics this election cycle, both candidates have veered toward more centric rhetoric in hopes of winning the district where nearly a third of voters are independent.