Arizona Republican Juan Ciscomani projected to win House seat
Republican Juan Ciscomani will win in his election bid to represent Arizona's 6th Congressional District, ABC News can report, defeating Democrat Kirsten Engel and flipping a House seat for Republicans from retiring Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick.
With 99% of the expected vote in, Ciscomani is leading Engel by 3,502 votes, 50.5%-49.5%.
Ciscomani, a longtime aide to Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, is seen as a rising star in the Republican Party. He ran a focused campaign — without an endorsement from former President Donald Trump's — on issues including border security, the economy and "conservative family values."
Ciscomani tweeted a thread on Monday accepting victory and thanking Ducey for encouraging him to run and for "being a sounding board through this process"
"In the best country in the world where anything is possible, I am now honored to represent my hometown in the U.S. Congress. I am ready to serve, find solutions for our district's challenges, & be a strong independent voice for our community," he wrote.
He beats Engel, a former Environmental Protection Agency attorney and Arizona state senator, who served just nine months before resigning to run for the vacant seat. Her campaign focused on abortion rights, making for a competitive race in the district which covers most of Pima County, including most of Tucson and Cochise County.
-ABC News' Libby Cathey