Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ), KGUN 9's election results service, has projected that the Republican party will retain control of the U.S. House of Representatives come 2025.
Last night, DDHQ called the Congressional District 6 race for incumbent Congressional District 6 Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani, who represents much of southeastern Arizona.
RELATED | Engel concedes after incumbent Rep. Juan Ciscomani projects as CD 6 winner
In a repeat of the race two years ago, Ciscomani emerged victorious by a tight margin, despite another strong challenge from Democrat Kirsten Engel. Results were held up compared to other congressional races around the state due to a couple factors in Cochise County: A bomb threat on election night held up the county's first results drop of the evening, and a broken tabulator later in the week led to a second delay in the count.
Ciscomani is currently back in Washington. I talked with him over Zoom this afternoon from his office on Capitol Hill.
The congressman says his first priority will be working on passing new border security laws, which could include a bill he helped push last year that made it through the House, but was never taken up in the Senate.
He also says he's grateful to the voters, and believes that making himself available to those living in CD 6 has been key, Ciscomani himself engaging in a variety of border roundtables and forums in Cochise County since taking office in 2023.
"There's a lot of power in showing up, Pat," he tells me. "I'm sending a message, obviously by showing, saying 'I care' but I was also there to listen and learn, and deliver results. We were able to do that through community funding projects.
"But I also learned a lot. Every time I would leave these communities I left a smarter, more informed member of Congress," Ciscomani said.
His party will have another narrow edge when the 119th Congressional session is convened. As of Tuesday, DDHQ has called 219 seats for the Republican Party, and 210 for the Democratic Party. A party needs 218 seats to hold a majority.
Republicans will now control the House, Senate and the presidency come January.
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Pat Parris is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. He is a graduate of Sabino High School where he was the 1982 high school state track champion in the 800 meters. While in high school and college, he worked part-time in the KGUN 9 newsroom. Share your story ideas and important issues with Pat by emailing pat.parris@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
