Jonathan Nez: The rise of a Rez representative
- Taylor McCormick
- Nov 10, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 5
Taylor McCormick Nov. 6, 2024
Former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez of the Áshįįhí (salt people) born for Ta'neeszahnii (tangle clan) earned the nickname “the man of many firsts” for his political accomplishments.
With over 18 years in public service, Nez is the first Indigenous candidate in Arizona to win a major party nomination for a congressional seat. Nez also implemented the first cancer center on a Native American reservation.
He started on the Navajo County Board of Supervisors in the early 2000s before becoming a Navajo Nation councilmember in 2007. In 2015, Nez ran and won the race for vice president of the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American reservation in the United States. In 2019, he was elected as president of the Navajo Nation.
His campaign’s mission takes on the challenge of occupying the House seat for Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District and flipping it blue.
Nez ran for reelection in 2022 and lost by 5.36% to current Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren. He attributed his loss to his pandemic response, which included enforcing social distancing rules and curfews.
Former Navajo Nation president and current congressional candidate Jonathan Nez poses next to a window for a portrait in the Communication building, Sept. 27. He is running against Republican incumbent Elijah Crane for Congress in District 2 of Arizona, the largest district in the state, as the Democratic candidate.
However, that race was not the end of his political career.
“I am a true believer that things happen for a reason,” Nez said. “It's [about] continuing to move up in leadership and to break the glass ceiling so that other Indigenous people in Arizona are able to be in positions of leadership.”
Francine Bradley-Arthur, co-founder of the Freedom House in Window Rock, Arizona, is voting red down the ballot this election season. The Freedom House is a pro-Trump campaign house Bradley-Arthur founded to provide a place for Republican Navajos to congregate.
Bradley-Arthur said she had an unpleasant experience at the September Navajo Nation Fair’s parade, in which Rep. Eli Crane and Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake were guests, that she attributed to Nez.
“We had Mr. Crane and Kari Lake in the parade,” Bradley-Arthur said. “They were on the float, and we ended up behind Mr. Nez’s float. We were told he was telling the crowd, ‘Boo those bilagáanas behind me. Wave my sign.’ When we got to the full sections of where everyone was at, they got attacked.”
Bradley-Arthur said Crane got candy thrown at him, and Lake returned to her bus because she felt threatened. Crane and Lake posted on social media with each other at the fair, and CNN confirmed the Arizona Republican Party’s float was booed and halted.
Bradley-Arthur said she does not believe Nez has a chance against Crane. She said she thinks he was a good leader when he began his political career and “diminished as a leader, just like any candidate” the longer he remained in office.
Looking at the influence his win would have, Nez said he hopes to see a Native American U.S. senator or president in the future.
Nez’s successor, Nygren, encouraged Native American voters to participate in this election in a press release. On Sept. 18, the Navajo Election Office reported that 133,872 Navajos were registered to vote.
A significant part of Nez’s campaign has been fundraising. According to the Federal Election Commission, his campaign raised over $3.6 million as of Sept. 30, with the biggest contributor being the political action committee ActBlue.
“We say to our people that are wanting to donate that this is probably the best investment for Arizona because it brings in new voters,” Nez said. “It brings in tribal and rural participation, the turnout [will be] high and it'll help the presidential race, the senate race and down the ballot as well.”
Nez, born in Tuba City, grew up on the Navajo Nation in Shonto where he cared for livestock without running water or electricity. This shaped his commitment to public service as he witnessed community members face similar challenges.
Nez received a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master's degree in public administration from NAU, guiding his leadership career. He said he was inspired to live up to his grandfather’s legacy, who served as the former Navajo Nation Council delegate for the Shonto chapter. Later in his career, he found himself becoming much more.
Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District plays a role in deciding the House majority on Election Day. The consensus among election forecasts in the district will likely lean Republican.
The Hill’s model reports a 95% chance that Crane will win the district, and the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics places the district under ‘likely Republican,’ also favoring Crane. This race is crucial for either Crane to maintain his incumbency or for Nez to defy the odds, making him the first Native representative from Arizona.
After Crane declined to participate in the 2nd Congressional District debate, Nez spent that time sharing his vision for the district.
“He's just sort of in the midst of all the division there in Washington, D.C.,” Nez said. “So, I can see why he doesn't want to debate me because he's got nothing to report to his voters.”
Crane is a former Navy SEAL officer and owned the Bottle Breacher before selling it in 2022. His campaign focuses on securing the border, veteran affairs and pro-growth policies for businesses.
During his time in office, beginning in January 2023, he introduced four bills and helped pass three. One bill was the bi-partisan Subterranean Border Defense Act with assistance from Rep. Lou Correa, a Democrat from California.
Crane’s most recent bill is the Legacy Mine Cleanup Act, which was introduced on Oct. 22 to improve coordination between the Environmental Protection Agency and tribal authorities on abandoned mine cleanups. The bill would codify the Office of Mountains, Deserts and Plains into the EPA to address pollution and hardrock mining.
Nez places his focus on resources for improving infrastructure, access to electricity and broadband telecommunication and securing a fair share of water from the Colorado River.
Across the district, from Kayenta to Prescott, the pressing issues for voters are access to quality healthcare, education and water rights.
One issue the Navajo Nation continues to face is uranium contamination. According to the EPA, there are over 500 uranium mine claims on Navajo lands. With limited healthcare access, accurate cancer diagnosis estimates can be difficult.
As Navajo Nation president, Nez announced a designated cancer treatment facility at Tuba City Regional Medical Center in 2019 with the help of Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation CEO Lynette Bonar and first lady Jill Biden as part of her medical research group,Cancer Moonshot.
His leadership faced the effects of COVID-19, resulting in over 1,800 deaths and one of the highest infection rates per capita, according to the UN Office of the High Commissioner. During his presidency, Nez prioritized community health and resilience by securing resources for testing and vaccination.
Nez said he took into account the feedback from tribal communities on his responses to the pandemic.
“You saw the protests happening all across the country, but I think in communities of color and tribal communities, it wasn't about people taking away their freedoms. It was about saving lives,” Nez said.
For Congress, Nez said he would focus on voting to pass the DREAM Act and protecting Medicaid and Social Security. He said he is aware that reaching across the aisle is essential to deliver effective policies in Arizona.
“Let's start working together between all parties and not just fall into the ‘my way or the highway’ kind of mentality that's happening right now in Washington, D.C.," Nez said.
He said his greatest milestone was meeting his wife, Phefelia Nez. She is an advocate for missing and murdered Indigenous women as well as substance abuse and human trafficking prevention.
Just as Phefelia is outspoken about her advocacy, Nez is vocal about representing the Native American community.
"Washington, D.C. has not heard a voice like ours,” Nez said. “And I say ours, I could easily say my voice, but our voice, rural Arizona, with the most tribes within the district. We need to also make sure that communities’ families have a voice in their government.”
Nez said breaking the glass ceiling is not as important to him as being transparent and building trust. On Oct. 10, Inside Elections reported the race as tied, despite initial polls of him being eight points down.
“Somebody’s got to be the first and somebody’s got to lead the way so that our younger generation can have that opportunity to be of service,” Nez said. “Hopefully, I can be able to do that for everyone, not just tribal members.”
Nez will appear at the Coconino County Democratic Party’s Election Night Watch Party at the Orpheum Theater on Nov. 5 at 7 p.m.
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