Jonathan Nez is running again to unseat incumbent Rep. Eli Crane (R). Nez lost to Rep. Crane in 2024 but significantly outperformed Kamala Harris, who lost the district by 15 points. Rep. Crane, meanwhile, underperformed President Trump in 2024.
The national political climate and the significant Native American population in the district make this a very competitive race with the right candidate. Jonathan Nez is that candidate. Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District is home to 14 of Arizona’s 22 federally recognized tribes and the Native American population in the district is 20%.
Jonathan Nez served as President of the Navajo Nation from 2019-2023 and led the Navajo people throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. He has a proven bipartisan track record which included working with his Republican Vice President to lead the Navajo Nation. He has focused on results for this mostly rural district including fighting for water rights, economic development and rural infrastructure.
Rep. Crane is a member of the House Freedom Caucus and a former Navy seal who voted to oust Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. Healthcare will be a major issue in this race as people feel the effects of Republicans’ “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
This race was added to the DCCC’s “Red to Blue” program in February which shows the national attention Nez’s campaign is drawing. To date, Rep. Crane has received over $600,000 from National Republican leadership which indicates they also believe this will be a competitive race.
On Council issues, Jonathan Nez is keenly aware of the legacy of nuclear weapons in this country and the specific toll it has taken on Native Americans. He has also publicly criticized the war in Iran and its impact on the American people.
