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“Juan Ciscomani got to Congress and immediately left Southern Arizonans behind. He’s voted to restrict abortion rights nationwide and opposed critical legislation that would have helped secure the border because Donald Trump told him to. Kirsten Engel is the pragmatic, solution-oriented leader that Arizonans deserve. Unlike Ciscomani, Kirsten isn’t here to play partisan games, she wants to deliver results. That’s why Southern Arizona will send her to Congress this November,” said DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene.
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To: Interested Parties
From: Lauryn Fanguen
Date: July 30, 2024
Subject: The Case Against Juan Ciscomani
Juan Ciscomani is too extreme for Arizona’s Sixth Congressional District, from his leading role in the far-right Patriot Academy and the Christian Nationalist movement, to his dangerous anti-abortion record, and loyalty to MAGA at all cost. Ciscomani is not serious about protecting the border or fighting for Arizona families. He only cares about pushing a dangerous far-right agenda that includes banning abortion and raising costs for hardworking Arizonans.
Kirsten Engel ran for the state legislature after seeing first-hand the devastating impact of budget cuts on Arizona’s public schools. As an environmental attorney, she filed a brief in the first case in which the U.S. Supreme Court recognized the role of greenhouse gasses in climate change. As a state lawmaker, Engel was known for working with Democrats and Republicans to get things done. She championed legislation to ban price-gouging, increased funding for public schools, and fought to secure water from the Colorado River. Engel is now running for Congress to fight for abortion rights, secure the border, and lower costs for Arizona families.
The Ciscomani-Engel matchup was one of the closest House races across the country in 2022. Now, Ciscomani has to defend and answer for his disastrous record in Congress.
Juan Ciscomani Served on the Board of the Extreme Christian Nationalist Group, Patriot Academy
For fourteen years, Juan Ciscomani served on the board of directors for a Christian Nationalist group called the Patriot Academy. This far-right extremist group believes we should rewrite the Constitution to establish a Christian Nation and considers the separation of church and state a “myth.” The Patriot Academy trains children as young as eleven years old to use lethal force, believes we should abolish gay marriage, and ban abortion, even in the cases of rape or incest.
Juan Ciscomani is also a Patriot Academy alumnus. The Academy claims that they “revolutionized the very core of his beliefs about government.” Ciscomani even asserted that “I can wholeheartedly say that nothing in my life has given me a clearer direction for my life than Patriot Academy.” This Christian Nationalist group was so important and formative for Juan Ciscomani that he started the Arizona chapter to bring those beliefs to Arizona. Ciscomani has carried these values with him to Washington, where he votes for an extreme MAGA agenda.
Ciscomani is a Threat to Women’s Rights, Including Banning Abortion
When Arizonans were recently living under an 1864 abortion ban, Juan Ciscomani was hoping that no one would connect the dots on his role in making it happen. As a part of the Doug Ducey Administration, Ciscomani vetted judicial nominees and helped pack the court with the same anti-abortion judges who ruled in favor of the abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest. He said when running for Congress that he wouldn’t support a national abortion ban. However, as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Ciscomani voted to restrict the sale of safe and affordable abortion medication and restrict access to reproductive care for active duty service members. He also co-sponsored H.R. 7 – federal legislation that would kick many Arizona women off of their private health insurance plans if those plans cover abortion.
Ciscomani voted for anti-choice legislation that would limit health care access and potentially imprison doctors in the first three weeks of Congress. He is also a part of the Republican Study Committee, which called for the passage of the Life at Conception Act, a total abortion ban with no exceptions even in the cases of rape, incest or life of the woman. This extreme bill could also ban access to IVF nationwide. It’s clear Ciscomani will say one thing to get elected and do another while in Congress.
As a mom and teacher, Kirsten Engel is fiercely committed to protecting abortion rights and the basic freedoms of her daughter and students. Engel has seen firsthand the experiences of women and doctors at the Tucson Planned Parenthood health center and has listened to abortion rights advocates and experts. She is the only candidate in this race endorsed by Planned Parenthood Action Fund because she understands what’s at stake for abortion rights and is unwavering in her commitment to fighting to protect it.
Ciscomani Puts MAGA First and Arizonans Last
When Donald Trump says jump, Juan Ciscomani says how high. Ciscomani is an enthusiastic MAGA follower who will side with Trump and MAGA over Arizonans every time. Ciscomani endorsed Donald Trump and eagerly celebrated Trump choosing anti-woman extremist J.D. Vance as his vice presidential candidate. Despite representing a border district, Juan Ciscomani spinelessly fell in line when Trump told Congressional Republicans to tank the bipartisan border deal that was supported by the Border Patrol Union because Trump wanted Republicans to be able to use the border as a campaign issue. It’s no wonder Trump endorsed Ciscomani.
Juan Ciscomani’s next step will be pushing the new MAGA Project 2025 agenda. Project 2025 includes defunding law enforcement, raising costs and taxes for the middle class while giving a massive tax cut to the ultra wealthy, making prescription drugs more expensive for working families, threatening health care coverage for millions of Americans, and privatizing Medicare.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
CRONKITE NEWS: Kirsten Engel slams Juan Ciscomani over links to Patriot Academy, a Christian nationalist group, as Arizona congressional race simmers [Cronkite News, 07/25/24]
TUCSON SENTINEL: Democratic challenger Engel outraising GOP incumbent Rep. Ciscomani [Tucson Sentinel, 07/16/24]
EL PAIS: The extreme views of Juan Ciscomani: The Arizona congressman who represents the most conservative Latino voice [El Pais, 07/09/24]
COPPER COURIER: How Rep. Ciscomani helped pack the Arizona Supreme Court with anti-abortion judges [Copper Courier, 05/09/24]
ARIZONA PUBLIC MEDIA: House Minority Whip backs Engel, slams Ciscomani on women’s health record [Arizona Public Media, 05/29/24]
ARIZONA REPUBLIC: Rep. Juan Ciscomani could help fix the border. Instead, he kowtows to Trump [Arizona Republic, 02/09/24]
TUCSON SENTINEL: National Dems ‘invested’ in Engel in election rematch vs. Ciscomani [Tucson Sentinel, 01/29/24]
PATH TO VICTORY
Donald Trump lost Arizona’s Sixth Congressional District in 2020 and Juan Ciscomani only won in 2022 by fewer than 5,300 votes. Last cycle, Kirsten Engel was outspent six to one. This time, Engel has outraised Ciscomani two consecutive quarters in a row and just recently surpassed Ciscomani in cash on hand. Cook Political Report rates this district as a toss up.
Abortion will also literally be on the ballot in Arizona with abortion advocates collecting more than double the required amount of voter petition signatures. Arizonans, who are currently living under a 15-week abortion ban, already saw how easily a state can further restrict abortion rights after the Arizona Supreme Court ruled to reinstate a 1864 abortion ban. This is particularly damning for Juan Ciscomani, who helped pack the court with several of the judges who made that decision.
There’s no question that Juan Ciscomani has abandoned Southern Arizonans and is too extreme to represent them in Congress. This November, voters will elect Kirsten Engel, a champion for women’s rights and hardworking families. |
