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- By Levi Rickert
Native Vote. Jonathan Nez thinks it is a time for change in Congress. Because of that reason, the foomrer president of the Navajo announced today he is running for Congress in Arizona’s 2nd congressional district. Nez led the Navajo Nation during the Covid-19 pandemic and is a well-known leader across rural Arizona.
If elected, Nez would become the first Native American to represent Arizona in Congress. Home to 14 American Indian tribes, the congressional districtt includes a population that is nearly 20% Native American.
Nez’s candidacy follows his strong performance in the previous election cycle, where he significantly outperformed expectations, energizing voters across Northern Arizona. His grassroots campaign drew support from over 78,000 online donors and placed AZ-02 firmly on the national political map.
A Democrat, Nez will need to win the party's nomination to oppose right-wing conservative Rep. Eli Crane, who he faced in the 2024 election.
“As Navajo Nation President, I worked across the aisle to deliver water security and lower prices for Northern Arizona, and that’s the kind of leadership we need in Congress,” said Nez. “I am a fighter, and now more than ever we need someone to warrior up and fight for Arizona. The only thing Crane has fought for since taking office is taking money from our hard working families to give to billionaires. Mr. Crane has betrayed us.”
Raised in Shonto, AZ, Nez grew up on his family’s ranch without electricity or running water. His life and work have been rooted in the district. As Navajo Nation President, he championed water rights, economic development, and rural infrastructure—always with a focus on protecting the way of life in Arizona’s rural and tribal communities.
In contrast, Rep. Eli Crane resides in the wealthy Tucson suburb of Oro Valley and has never lived in the district he represents. Nez criticized Crane for voting to slash Medicaid and cut funding to essential rural services, including tribal radio and health care.
“Eli Crane voted to gut Arizonans’ health care and take food off our tables – all to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. Nearly 1 in 3 people in our district depend on Medicaid, or AHCCCS as it’s called in Arizona. Thousands are going to lose their health coverage and hospitals across ourcregion – in Page, Winslow, and Globe – could be forced to shut down. Crane’s priorities might go over well in the wealthy suburbs where he is from, but not in rural Arizona,” Nez said.
Crane’s votes have also targeted funding for public media, including tribal radio stations like KUYI on the Hopi Reservation and KGHR on the Navajo Nation. These stations rely on public funding for about half their budgets — funding Crane has voted to eliminate. Additionally, Apache and Navajo counties have some of the highest rates of seniors on Medicaid in the entire country.
In 2024, Nez outperformed Vice President Kamala Harris by 3.5 points in the district and ran ahead of Senate candidate Ruben Gallego. As The Cook Political Report noted in October 2024, Nez “quietly built up a robust campaign operation focused on mobilizing Native American voters and reaching out to moderate Republicans turned off by Crane’s hardline style.”
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has since added AZ-02 to its “Districts in Play” list. Cook Political Report wrote that while AZ-02 remains a tough district for Democrats, Nez’s performance makes it one to watch: “Democratic strategists acknowledge that this district is a reach for them to flip, but they believe Nez could make this a competitive race — particularly if the national political environment favors Democrats.”
Jonathan Nez enters the race with a proven record, deep community roots, and a commitment to fighting for the people of Northern Arizona.
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