In 2022, former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez ran an inspired campaign, yet lost against Republican-Trumpist-MAGA disciple Eli Crane in the race for House Representative in Arizona’s Congressional District Two.
How has that worked out for the residents living there?
Not well, considering Crane has publicly embraced Mr. Trump’s economic, political, international, and anti-sustainability policies, including voting to cut off health care, food security, clean energy, and rural hospital assistance that is vital to the people of Arizona’s Northeastern CD Two community.
Now in 2024, Jonathan Nez is running again, hoping many Independents and like-minded Republicans, disenchanted with Mr. Crane’s performance and blind obedience to Mr. Trump’s destructive policies to the district, state, and country, will give him a second look in this year’s midterms.
If elected, former President Nez will work on a Warrior Up Agenda that includes an affordability agenda, combatting corruption, bringing good-paying jobs to the district, water security, and strengthening rural infrastructure.
President Nez graciously discussed his candidacy for the Arizona CD Two House Seat with Blog for Arizona.
The questions and his responses are below.
Please tell the readers of these two reasons you would like to run again for the Arizona House seat in District Two.
“Well, we had many folks disappointed, obviously, from our loss in the last election, but there were a lot of lessons learned. And we even, the data shows that we overperformed Kamala Harris. We overperformed Ruben Gallego in this district. And, you know, it was a campaign of America First. People in this district don’t feel like America’s First right now. So we want to be able to help in lowering the cost and providing immediate economic relief for families. Of course, we’ve heard a lot about affordability, making sure that families can get ahead in reaching the American Dream.”
“The other is water security. Water is life. Getting clean water for Arizona would be another reason. And of course, you just overall help the citizens of Arizona too, which I appreciate and they have come to know. And they’ve come to know me. It is a lot of encouragement from the local communities, municipalities, cities and towns, tribal communities, that we continue to fight. Fight for Arizonans. Fight for CD2. And they truly believe that they have that fighter, as I have done in my previous positions of leadership. I think the folks in this district realize too that our congressman does not even live in this district. He lives in Oro Valley outside this district, and they want someone who actually lives and comes from this district.”
Please tell the readers in CD2, what are at least two reasons you would be a better representative for them than Mr. Crane, especially now that he has a two year track record.
“Well, again, I will fight for Arizona to receive federal dollars and our fair share of resources. My opponent, Crane, does not. You know, each representative, each senator receives an oversight of dollars that they could be able to use in projects within their district. And our congressman chooses not to use one penny of that allocation. And I understand we’re all fiscal conservatives at home. We don’t go beyond our means, but we’re taxpayers. Some of those dollars should be coming back into our communities to help with growth, to help with the aging infrastructure, and to expand the infrastructure. Yet we’re spending billions of dollars for a war that is not even approved and sanctioned by Congress. And because of that, you see the high prices of gas and fuel, high prices of goods and services in this country, and I haven’t even talked about the healthcare, too. Those prices are going up. I work for rural Arizona, not for Washington and not for the elites and the billionaires, unlike my opponent. He’s out there campaigning for other candidates in other states when his constituents are worried about the rising cost of healthcare and also worried about our water security, especially when it comes to the Colorado River and the precious groundwater that we have. They said, drain the swamp, but now my opponent, Crane, is the swamp.”
What are at least three issues you will run on to win the general election in 2026?
‘I mentioned lowering the costs, providing immediate economic relief for families, and working together in Congress. Remember the days when Republicans and Democrats used to work together? Now, it’s just so far apart.”
“And water is life, securing clean water for Arizona, building sustainable long-term rural infrastructure. And this is another one that has come up a lot lately, tackling corruption and holding Washington accountable. You see the billionaires making record profits on the backs of hardworking Americans, hardworking Arizonans.”
Rural broadband and rural healthcare hospitals.
“Well, you look at my track record. We’ve built, we are building new healthcare facilities on the Navajo Nation. We built the Dilkon Medical Center.
We’re building the Echo Cliffs Health Center. We’re building Gallup Indian Medical Center. And while on the other side, my opponents have helped advocate to close five rural healthcare facilities in Arizona, and guess what? Three of those are in his district: Page, Winslow, and Globe. That’s the difference.”
And rural broadband expansion.
“We need to have programs that can expand rural broadband and telecommunications throughout this district. We’re the largest district in the country, very rural, very tribal. And we should be having federal support to expand broadband telecommunications in our area, and I’ve done that. I’ve championed that by helping put cell towers in our communities, expand fiber in our communities, and have a track record of getting things done. And I think that’s what Arizona voters want: a person that will get things done rather than being a roadblock or advocating for billionaires and the most powerful in this country.”
Please explain at least two ways your campaign will work to win over independents, moderate Republicans, and voters who generally do not pay attention to politics and current events in CD2.
“As a tribal leader, when we ran for office, we didn’t say we’re Democrat or Republican or independent. We were elected because of our vision. We were reelected because of what we got done. We got things done. And of course, when you jump into state and federal elections, you have to pick a party. I ran as the Democrat for the Navajo County Board of Supervisors. I got to know much about the state and county governments during my two terms in office. But at the end of the day, you know, it’s about the people. It’s about how we can, or I can be able to advocate for our constituents. And my parents are both Republican, were Republican, really. I grew up in a conservative home, still sitting in a Baptist church today. But what I’m saying is we need common sense leaders. You know, items are too expensive; we need change in leadership. You could see that happening all across the country where incumbents are losing their elections. People just want change in leadership. And, you know, of course, water is for everyone. We need strong leadership to handle the water crisis in the Southwest in our state. I support veterans’ rights, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security. Those are what people earned because of working hard early in life. And we’re going to be meeting voters where they are. We’ve done that here now. Going into the communities and how leaders should be talking with folks and listening more rather than talking their heads off, just like it used to be. We’ve been traveling around the district to meet with new voters, helping rural Arizona, registering people to vote, and also checking voter registration for voters. That’s Democrats, Republicans, and independents. And we believe that everybody should vote. And I think, you know, I know it’s Democrats and Republicans.”
“That’s the fight today. But the real battle is between the ultra-wealthy, the billionaires, those in positions of influence and who have authority over others, and the hardworking people in this country. And that gap is getting wider and wider. Look at the gas prices now. They’re going up. Record profits for these businesses on the backs of hardworking Americans. It’s not just about Republicans and independents and Democrats. It’s about who’s in positions of leadership. And look at what my opponent has done, covering up and hiding things for those people in the Epstein files and all that, following in line with the billionaires where hardworking Americans are having a very difficult time in this economy.”
“So what I would do is we would work on solutions for Arizona, not for Washington, focusing on practical, local issues rather than the political jargon that we hear all the time.”
Is there anything not mentioned in the first four questions that we’d like the readers to know about you and your candidacy, again, for the CD2 House seat?
“Well, there’s also a historical element to this race. When elected, I would be the first Native American to be elected from Arizona to the U.S. House of Representatives. And people come from all over the world to this country of ours for the American Dream. Congress should look like America. Diversity is our strength. That is the reason why we are the most powerful country in the world.”
“We invite people to join our movement. It is a movement against the wealthy, the elite, those positions of authority and influence, and to fight for the hardworking people of this country and in Arizona. And our slogan is what you hear in the Southwest and rodeo country, you know, cowboy up. But I think it’s time for us to warrior up because we have to battle and fight for our Democracy and battle and fight for our families, our children, our grandchildren, and seven generations and beyond.”
Please click here to find out more about Jonathan Nez and his candidacy for the Arizona House Seat in Congressional District Two.
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