Former Navajo Nation President Nez to run for Congress

Former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez has formally announced he is running to challenge Rep. Eli Crane (R) in District 2.

Nez said he was inspired to run because of the “craziness” he’s seeing in Washington, D.C. among “MAGA” Republicans.

“We turn on the TV, we hear the radio, we see it all over social media, on the web, the dysfunction that’s happening in Washington D.C.,” Nez said. “Look, even tonight, they couldn’t elect another speaker. After dialogue with a lot of constituents in District 2, they encouraged me, they spoke to my family, to my wife, Ophelia, to consider running for Congress. After much prayer and much deliberation with friends and family, we said ‘We will take on this bid for a new stage in our life.”

Nez posted his announcement in a video to X (formerly Twitter). He explained that he understands the struggles that Second District families are facing right now, including “a sense that their elected representatives don’t care about them, that D.C. politicians have left them behind.”

District 2 covers parts of the low desert south of Phoenix, and 14 of Arizona’s 22 tribes live within that area.

Among the counties, District 2 includes:

• Apache
• Coconino
• Gila
• Navajo
• Yavapai
• Portions of Graham, Maricopa, Mohave and Pinal counties

“Right now, the Republican Party is in control, and it just shows that there is so much division just to elect a speaker,” Nez said.

Nez hopes to lower inflation, lower the cost of child care, continue to fight for quality healthcare and much more.