Here are the candidates running in Arizona's new 6th Congressional District

Democratic incumbent Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick is retiring and leaving her U.S. House seat open. That district, currently Arizona's 2nd Congressional District, now has been reconfigured into the new 6th Congressional District.

The congressional district currently covers Cochise County and part of Pima County, including the majority of Tucson. The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission is finalizing the redistricting process.

Here are the major candidates running to represent the district:

Democrats

Avery Anderson

Avery Anderson is a "Young American representing young voters and Arizonans of District 6," according to his campaign website.

Anderson previously worked in the energy field, advancing domestic wind energy implementation, and currently works as an engineer to advance America's technological defense. His website states both of these jobs are "key fields" to qualify him to represent Arizona's 6th Congressional District.

Anderson's campaign has a focus on the younger generation, including campaign platforms such as brining a younger generation to congress to match America's younger demographic. He also aims to keep young voters involved.

Other campaign issues include taking advantage of Arizona's potential to be a leader solar energy production and increasing educational attainment. He aims to achieve this by increasing financial aid to increase access to postsecondary education, increase quality of K-12 education, and improving preschool programs.

Kirsten Engel

Former state Sen. Kirsten Engel, D-Tucson, is running to fill the seat as Arizona's 6th Congressional District representative. Engel assumed office in the state Senate in January 2021. She announced in September her resignation from that office to run for Congress.

"Kirsten is running for Congress to fight for access to quality affordable healthcare and protect our environment and natural resources," Engel's campaign website says.

Her website identifies her campaign issues as protecting the environment and advocating that Arizona should become the solar energy capital of the world.

Other issues include rebuilding the economy and focusing on physical infrastructure such as rural broadband, commerce and transportation along with social infrastructure like job training, child support, college and career readiness.

Expanding affordable health care, lowering prices of prescription drugs, fighting for reproductive rights, and supporting Medicare and Social Security also are listed.

Engel formerly worked at the Massachusetts's Office of Attorney General and the U.S Environmental Protection Agency.

Daniel Hernandez

Daniel Hernandez, an aide to former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., assumed office as a state representative in 2017.

Hernandez's campaign website states that he "is running for Congress to continue to fight for progressive values while working across the aisle to get real results for the people of Southern Arizona." His campaign website does not list any issues of his platform. However, it highlights his previous focus on health care, including efforts to expand affordable health care.

Hernandez previously has served as a school board president and as the program manager for Planned Parenthood's Latino outreach program, RaÍz. Hernandez is the co-founder of the Arizona House LGBTQ Caucus.

Election guide: 2022 primaries

U.S. Senate | Governor |Secretary of state|Legislature | Treasurer | County attorney |Attorney general| District 1 | District 3 | District 4|District 6|District 8| District 9 | City council

Republicans

Juan Ciscomani

Juan Ciscomani for the last seven years has been working as the senior adviser for regional and international affairs under Gov. Doug Ducey.

Ciscomani's campaign website features issues he is campaigning on, including border security to stop drug smugglers and human traffickers through more personnel and technology and by finishing the border wall. Election integrity is listed; he says he stands against efforts to undermine ID laws; register ineligible voters; felons voting; and using "taxpayer money to fund campaign attack ads."

Ciscomani also names "conservative values" as a campaign issue, specifying his support for the First and Second Amendments, an anti-abortion-rights agenda, and his opposition to critical race theory.

Ciscomani formerly served as the vice president of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Lucretia Free

Lucretia Free is the publisher and creator of the Vail Voice newspaper and the American Woman Shooter Gun Magazine.

Free's campaign website lists the issues she is campaigning on, including education by helping community colleges and trade school students with skills to help them transfer to the workforce after graduation, stronger border control, ensuring the military has the proper resources, and business.

Free currently is the chair of the Pima County Transportation Committee. Free has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission.

Brandon Martin

Brandon Martin served 11 years with the United States Army Reserve.

Some of the issues listed on Martin's campaign website are election integrity, stronger physical barriers at the border, ending chain immigration and the lottery, national defense and the U.S government.

Other campaign issues include lowering the United States national debt, balancing the budget and shrinking the powers of the federal government.

Young Mayberry

Young Mayberry served in the United States Air Force for 28 years. Mayberry states he is running for congress because, "I can no longer sit by while the Socialist agenda threatens to destroy America."

Mayberry's campaign website issues are to defend the "constitutional government." The website says he believes in issues such as limited government and securing the border. Mayberry states his support of the Second Amendment and his opposition of abortion rights.

Although he made it onto the ballot, Mayberry has yet to file paperwork with the FEC. Mayberry is a former farmer of 24 years and educator.

Kathleen Winn

Kathleen Winn previously served in the Arizona Attorney General's Office as community outreach and education director.

In that role, Winn helped establish the Veteran's Court and helped create the Task Force Against Senior Abuse. Winn is also a member of the Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board.

Winn's issues listed on her campaign website include securing the border, public safety, education and election integrity. Winn has filed paperwork with the FEC.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Candidates running in Arizona's new 6th Congressional District