Former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez’s Campaign Sees Early Enthusiasm, Racks Up More Endorsements

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: 7/24/2025
CONTACT: [email protected]

NEWS REPORTS: Nez is a “pragmatic” leader with a “bipartisan” track record who “overperformed in a deep-red district despite minimal outside investment”

FLAGSTAFF, AZ — Former President of the Navajo Nation, rural Arizona leader, and candidate for Congress in Arizona’s second district Jonathan Nez is seeing early enthusiasm after launching his campaign to fire extremist Eli Crane on Tuesday.

Image courtesy of Jonathan Nez for Congress

Roughly 200 people came out to cheer on President Nez at events in Flagstaff, Sedona, and Prescott. Those who couldn’t make it are seeing national, state, and local coverage of Nez’s historic announcement. Meanwhile, Arizona leaders are lining up to endorse Nez’s momentous campaign – from Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, to Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, to former and current members of Congress from the Copper State and beyond.

Arizonans are seeing wall-to-wall coverage about Nez’s historic run for Congress:

 

Joining Sen. Kelly, Sen Gallego, AG Mayes, Rep. Stanton, and Rep. Ansari in endorsing President Nez are:

• Former Arizona Rep. Karan English
• Former Arizona Rep. Tom O’Halleran 
• Former Arizona Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick 
• Coconino County Supervisor Judy Begay
• Coconino County Supervisor Lena Fowler
• Coconino County Attorney Ammon Barker
• Flagstaff Unified School District School Board Member Caroline Kidd
• Former Coconino County Recorder Patty Hansen
• Former AZ Democratic Party Chair Harriet Young
• Former Democratic Party of Pinal County Chair Lisa Sanor
• New Mexico Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez
• New Mexico Rep. Melanie Stansbury 
• Former New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland

ABOUT JONATHAN NEZ:  Former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, the 2024 Democratic nominee for Congress in AZ-02, grew up in rural Arizona, helping his family run a ranch without running water or electricity. Nez began his career in public service in his community of Shonto on the Navajo Nation, serving in a number of positions before being elected President of the Navajo Nation in 2018. Today, Jonathan lives in Flagstaff with his wife Phefelia and their two boys.