Summary
Current Position: Professor of Law since 2021
Affiliation: Democrat
Candidate: 2024 US Representative for District 6
Former Position: State Senator for District 10 from 2020 – 2021
Kirsten Engel is an American lawyer and politician who served a member of the Arizona Senate for the 10th district from January to September 2021.
Engel is a candidate in the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Arizona in the state’s 6th congressional district.
OnAir Post: Kirsten Engel
News
The Arizona Republic sent a brief questionnaire to the candidates in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District.
The district covers most of Pima County, including most of Tucson, and Cochise County.
Kirsten Engel is seeking the Democratic nomination unopposed.
Incumbent and first-term Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., is facing a GOP primary challenge from Kathleen Winn.
About
Source: Campaign page
Kirsten Engel learned at an early age the importance of giving back to her community and protecting our resources Kfor generations to come.
After graduating with honors from Brown University and Northwestern University’s School of Law, Kirsten held positions at the Massachusetts Office of Attorney General and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She saw first hand the outsized impact that bureaucratic red tape and corporate lobbyists can have on our laws.
Early in her career, Kirsten found her voice and saw the ways she could make a difference. She filed an amicus brief in the very first case in which the U.S. Supreme Court recognized greenhouse gas emissions contribute to climate change. She helped force paint manufacturers to include warning labels about the hazards of exposure to lead-paint dust. And, she oversaw a brownfield renovation program to cleanup and restore contaminated waste sites.
Specializing in environmental and administrative law, Kirsten has taught at Tulane, Harvard and now at the University of Arizona, where she serves as Co-Director of the Environmental Law Program.
Web
Campaign Site, Wikipedia, Government Page, YouTube, LinkedIn
Politics
Source: none
Finances
ENGEL, KIRSTEN has run in 3 races for public office, winning 3 of them. The candidate has raised a total of $282,462.
Source: Open Secrets
Voting Record
See: Vote Smart
Issues
Source: Campaign page
Like so many Arizonans, I’ve had to balance work and parenting since my daughter was born — and the pandemic has only made this balance even more challenging. Women have shared the brunt of this pandemic — taking on extra labor at home, while being forced out of the workplace in alarming numbers. We need to do more for working families, especially parents, and I’m ready to do the work to help families not just recover from this pandemic, but thrive.
As we emerge from COVID-19, it’s more important than ever that we build back in a sustainable manner and invest in the fundamentals of what will be a strong economy for our future. This means investing in the infrastructure to create sustainable good-paying jobs, maintaining a skilled workforce to fill those jobs, safeguarding our natural resources, and supporting our small businesses.
I’m running to bring my experience as a mom, an educator, and a legislator to Congress to fight for Arizona values.
Democracy & Governance
Economy & Jobs
Building an economy that works for everyone
Investing in infrastructure development – both physical and social – will help Arizona realize its full potential. Environmentally sustainable physical infrastructure — the bricks, mortar, and digital – will help us expand our economy and safeguard our natural resources. This includes rural broadband and improvements in commerce and transportation – from roads, to our ports of entry along the border. To power a sustainable 21st century economy and enable more people to be part of rebuilding our economy, we also need upgraded social infrastructure — such as job training, childcare supports, and college and career-readiness programs.
Environment & Energy
Protecting our environment and working toward a sustainable future
Our spectacular environment and unique wildlife are a priceless part of Arizona. We have a $20 billion tourism economy, much of that due to people coming from all over the world to enjoy Arizona’s outdoors. With our countless days of sunshine, Arizona should be the solar capital of the world. Solar energy development is increasingly a source of good-paying jobs and could play an even larger role in our post-pandemic economic recovery.
Health & Education
Expanding access to affordable, quality healthcare
Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Unfortunately, too many people still don’t have access to affordable quality healthcare. We need long-discussed solutions to reduce the price of prescription drugs, like allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, and cap the amount everyday Americans must pay for a plan on the health insurance marketplace. No one should have to choose between paying for healthcare or paying their rent and putting food on the table.
Strengthening Social Security and Medicare
Earned benefits like Social Security and Medicare are crucial to the American way of life. Not only do they need to be protected, they should be strengthened for future generations. Special interest groups and wealthy corporations continue to try and chip away at these bedrock programs. As your representative in Congress, I will fight them every step of the way to guarantee the future of these programs.
Human Rights
Fighting for reproductive choice
Reproductive healthcare and a person’s right to choose should not be up for debate. The attacks on abortion access and reproductive healthcare in Arizona and across our country are appalling. As a state legislator, I have always fought to protect reproductive rights, and I will continue to do so in Congress.
Public Safety
Supporting Common Sense Gun Safety Measures
The bipartisan gun safety law recently signed into law was a necessary first step, but did not go far enough. Congress must pass common sense gun safety laws that a large majority of Americans support, whether they are Democrats or Republicans, gun-owners or not. These include universal background checks, closing loopholes such as those allowing weapons to be purchased at gun shows without a background check, and an assault weapons ban. Victims of gun violence don’t need more thoughts and prayers. They need action and resolve.
See Also
Google Search
More Web Links
Wikipedia
Kirsten Engel is an American politician who served as a member of the Arizona House of Representatives and the Arizona Senate for the 10th district from 2017 to 2021. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
Engel started her career at the Environmental Protection Agency, and later worked as an assistant state attorney general before transitioning to education. Engel has been a professor at the University of Arizona since 2005, specializing in environmental and administrative law.
In 2022, Engel ran for U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona’s 6th congressional district but narrowly lost. She ran in a rematch against Juan Ciscomani in 2024 for the same congressional district, losing again to Ciscomani.
Early life and education
Engel was born and raised in Chicago.[1] She is the daughter of a public school teacher and a theologian.[2] She graduated magna cum laude from Brown University in 1983.[3][4] During college, she worked a variety of jobs to pay her tuition including waitressing and working as a National Park Service ranger.[2] Engel then went to Northwestern University School of Law and graduated in 1986.[3]
Legal career
After law school, Engel clerked for Judge Myron H. Bright of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. She then worked for the United States Environmental Protection Agency and later for Earthjustice.[5][6]
While at Earthjustice, Engel was condemned by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for overbilling the federal government for “imaginary or unecessary legal services”.[7]
Engel later served as an assistant attorney general in the Massachusetts Attorney General‘s Office until 2005.[5] Afterwards, she joined the faculty at the University of Arizona‘s James E. Rogers College of Law where she teaches environmental and administrative law.[6][8]
Arizona House of Representatives
Elections
Engel was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2016 and assumed office in January 2017.[9] Engel did not seek re-election to the House in 2020 and instead ran for the state senate.[10][11]
Committee assignments
- Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee
- Judiciary Committee
- Judiciary and Public Safety Committee
- Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee[2]
Arizona Senate
Elections
Engel ran for the Arizona Senate in 2020. She won the election and assumed office in January 2021 and served until her resignation in September 2021 to run for Congress.[10][11]
Committee assignments
- Ethics Committee
- Finance Committee
- Judiciary Committee
- Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee[12]
Congressional elections
2022
In 2022, Engel launched her congressional campaign for Arizona’s 6th congressional district.[10][11] She lost to Republican Juan Ciscomani.[13]
2024
She ran in a rematch against Ciscomani in the 2024 election for Arizona’s 6th congressional district.[14] In the November 2024 general election, Engel was again defeated by Ciscomani.[15]
Political positions
Environment and energy
Engel supports expanding solar energy in Arizona.[16] She has expressed support for stronger federal regulations to reduce air and water pollution from power plants[17] and has expressed the need for policies that reduce reliance on gasoline-powered vehicles.[18]
Education
Engel supports increasing funding for public schools and has said that observing conditions at her daughter’s public school motivated her to run for office initially.[6] She is supports education and workforce development programs provided by community colleges, universities, and labor unions.[19]
Immigration
Engel characterized the situation at the U.S.–Mexico border as “a humanitarian crisis” and expressed support for reforming asylum-seeking processes.[20]
Personal life
Engel is married with one daughter and lives in Tucson, Arizona.[21]
References
- ^ Dylan Smith (March 19, 2021). “State lawmaker Kirsten Engel announces run to fill Kirkpatrick’s seat in Congress”. TucsonSentinel.com. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
- ^ a b c “House Member: Kirsten Engel”. Arizona State Legislature. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
- ^ a b “See Jane Run: Three Northwestern Law Alumnae Share Their Experiences in Politics”. June 11, 2018.
- ^ “Kirsten Engel CV” (PDF). University of Arizona.
- ^ a b Schmidt, Caitlin (July 23, 2016). “3 Democrats vying for two House seats in Legislative District 10”. Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- ^ a b c Parker, Sam (October 10, 2021). “UA professor and congressional candidate hosts town hall on campus”. The Daily Wildcat. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ “Democratic House candidate overbilled taxpayers for ‘imaginary’ fees as lawyer: Court records”.
- ^ Multiple sources:
- Kelty, Bennito L. (September 8, 2021). “Kirsten Engel resigns from Az Legislature to run full-time for Congress”. TucsonSentinel.com. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- “Women in climate change: Kirsten Engel”. University of Arizona News. March 16, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- Johnson, Jon (June 15, 2022). “Congressional candidate takes economic tour of Graham County”. The Gila Herald. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ “State of Arizona Official Canvass 2016 General Election November 8, 2016” (PDF). Phoenix, Arizona: Secretary of State of Arizona. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
- ^ a b c Williams, Jordan (March 19, 2021). “Arizona state senator announces bid for Kirkpatrick’s seat”. The Hill. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ a b c “Engel quits Arizona Senate to focus on District 2 congressional race”. KSAZ-TV. Associated Press. September 8, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
- ^ “Senate Member”. www.azleg.gov. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
- ^ “AP says Ciscomani defeats Engel in Tucson’s Congressional District 6”. Arizona Daily Star. November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
- ^ Gersony, Laura. “Arizona 6th Congressional District candidates: Where Ciscomaini, Engel stand on issues”. The Arizona Republic. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
- ^ Thomas, Steff Danielle (November 12, 2024). “Arizona Republican Juan Ciscomani wins reelection”. The Hill. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ Estrada, Melissa. “Here are the candidates running in Arizona’s new 6th Congressional District”. The Arizona Republic. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ Botts, Lindsey. “Push for environmental justice in underserved communities gains traction in Arizona”. The Arizona Republic. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ “Dem candidate advocated making ‘it a pain to drive’ on panel for group that pushed ‘usage-based’ driving fees”.
- ^ Kavaler, Tara. “Juan Ciscomani and Kirsten Engel: US House rivals discuss abortion rights, southern Arizona’s needs”. The Arizona Republic. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
- ^ “Congressional District 6 Democratic candidates debate immigration, inflation and more”. Arizona PBS. May 18, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ “House Member – Kirsten Engel”. Arizona legislature. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
External links
- Kirsten Engel for Arizona campaign website
- Biography at Ballotpedia
- Biography at the University of Arizona
