PRESS RELEASE
Mistake by Trump PAC Mocked by Media Draws More Attention To Nez's Bipartisanship, Surging Campaign
FLAGSTAFF, AZ - GOP super PACs are scrambling to save Congressman Eli Crane’s reelection campaign, flooding a district Donald Trump won by 15 points with over $3 million in outside spending. The desperate cash infusion suggests that former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez's bipartisan campaign, built on tackling the water crisis, tackling corruption, and fighting high costs, is surging. Polls show Nez is statistically tied with Crane, and up 22 points with independents.
The spending surge follows a disastrous Friday rollout of an attack ad from Trump-aligned No Going Back PAC Inc. that repeatedly misidentified Nez for his Republican Vice President ahead of today's Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognition. The blunder has drawn national attention, highlighting Nez’s long history of working with both parties to get things done and exposing the lengths Crane’s billionaire backers are willing to go.
“Eli Crane and his billionaire backers are so scared of an Indigenous sheepherder from Shonto, Arizona, they rushed attack ads against me. But they care so little about the voters of AZ-02 they couldn’t get it right. The voters of AZ-02 are tired of their broken promises and disregard for the real challenges they are facing. I guess they don’t care to know my face, but on November 3rd they’ll hear my voice,” said Nez.
Here are the biggest headlines surrounding the mix-up and outside investment:
Washington Post: A Republican attack ad misidentifies its Democratic target. Twice.
Native News Online: No, Not All Navajos Look Alike: Trump-Aligned PAC Confuses Photos of Jonathan Nez and Myron Lizer
12News: Trump-linked PAC attacks wrong Navajo leader in video backing Republican Eli Crane
AZCentral: GOP ad attacks Navajo candidate Jonathan Nez with photo of wrong man
KJZZ: GOP attack ad on Democrat Jonathan Nez misfires, depicting another Navajo man who backs Trump
Washington Sun: Trump-Aligned Super PAC Ran an Ad Attacking a Native American Candidate — Featuring the Wrong Person
Phoenix New Times: Candidate calls attack ad that misidentified him a “slap in the face.”
Huffpost: Trump-Linked Super PAC Uses Wrong Image Of Democratic Target In New Ad
Punchbowl News: 10/9/26 Midday
Navajo Times: Trump-aligned PAC mistakes Lizer for Nez in attack ad
The Daily Beast: The Swamp Newsletter 10/9/26
SEE ALSO:
Navajo Times: Nez picks businessman as running mate (9/4/18)