Dianna Hunt and Joaqlin Estus
ICT
More than 85 Indigenous candidates won election on Nov. 8 to political offices up and down the ballot in 22 states, adding Indigenous representation to Congress, statehouses, courtrooms and local governments across a wide swath of the nation.
The election will bring the first Native person back to the U.S. Senate in nearly two decades, put a record number of Indigenous women judges on the bench in Arizona and place more than 65 Indigenous politicians in state legislatures across the country, according to an analysis of election results by ICT.
“We were saying it was going to be a nailbiter election, but in Indian Country, we were always certain we were going to have an incredible year,” said Jordan James Harvill, Cherokee and Choctaw, the national program director for Advance Native Political Leadership, which also tracked the election.
Twelve Indigenous candidates ran for Congress, and five will take their seats in the nation’s capital next year.
(Related: What the new Congress means for Indian Country)
Three are from Oklahoma. Markwayne Mullin, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation who had served in the U.S. House of Representatives, won easily in Oklahoma to become the first Indigenous person to serve in the U.S. Senate since Colorado Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell left in early 2005.
U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, Chickasaw, easily won re-election, and will be joined in the U.S. House by Republican Josh Brecheen, Choctaw, a state senator who won election to Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District.
Two other Indigenous congressional leaders also won re-election – Reps. Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat, Ho-Chunk, and Mary Peltola, Yup’ik, an Alaska Democrat, who was elected to a full, two-year term after serving out the final months of the late Don Young’s term of office.
A sweep by Indigenous candidates of their races in Arizona will mean a record seven Native women will be holding court there as judges.
And Indigenous politicians held onto top seats in two states – Oklahoma’s Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, Cherokee Nation, and Minnesota Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, White Earth Band of Ojibwe, were both re-elected.
In another first for Indigenous candidates, Lisa Finley-DeVille, Mandan, Arikara, Hidatsa, drew nearly 70 percent of the vote to represent North Dakota’s newly created State House District 4A, which includes a majority of Native voters.
In all, more than 150 Indigenous candidates filed to run for federal, state or local office this year, and 120 of them advanced to the general election.
Of those, 89 – nearly 75 percent – won their elections. Thirty Indigenous candidates lost their races, though many were facing well-entrenched incumbents.
And one race remained undecided as of Friday, Dec. 2. In New Mexico, a tight race for the State House District 68 seat is headed to an automatic recount with just a few dozen votes separating the two candidates.
In that race, Democrat Charlotte Little, San Felipe Pueblo, was leading with barely 50 percent of the vote over Republican Robert Henry Moss. A recount has been ordered and the final results are set to be certified on Dec. 13, officials said.
Harville said Indigenous candidates did well in the 2020 elections, but far surpassed those numbers this year.
“We’re in a really healthy place,” he said. “Of those that lost, the majority were within a hair. They were not blown out of the water.”
He said said the success of Indigenous candidates can drive more Indigenous voters to the polls.
“Seeing someone from your race category or background … drastically increases the likelihood people will turn out,” he said.
Here are the Indigenous candidates identified by ICT and Advance Native Political Leadership who ran for federal, state or local office across the U.S., and the results of the Nov. 8 election.
Congress
Won: Mary Peltola, Yup’ik, Alaska, was re-elected to a full two-year term in Alaska’s At-Large Congressional District after serving out the final months of the late Don Young’s term of office. Peltola won with nearly 55 percent of the vote against former Gov. Sarah Palin after ranked-choice ballots were tallied.
Lost: John Mark Porter, Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone, California, Republican, Congressional District 33, was defeated by incumbent Democratic Rep. Pete Aguilar, who was re-elected with nearly 58 percent of the vote.
Lost: Joe Akana, Native Hawaiian, Hawai’i, Republican, Congressional District 2, fell to Democrat Jill Tokuda, who drew 59 percent of the vote.
Won: Rep. Sharice Davids, Ho-Chunk, Democrat, Kansas, Congressional District 3, drew 55 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Amanda Adkins and Libertarian Steve Hole.
Lost: Elizabeth Mercedes Krause, Oglala Lakota, Nevada, Democrat, Congressional District 2, lost to Republican incumbent Mark Amodei, who had nearly 60 percent of the vote.
Lost: Rep. Yvette Herrell, Cherokee Nation descent, New Mexico, Republican, narrowly lost her bid for re-election to Democrat Gabriel Vasquez, who drew just 50 more votes to represent Congressional District 2.
Lost: Charles Graham, Lumbee, North Carolina, Democrat, Congressional District 7, was defeated by Republican David Rouzer, who drew 57 percent of the vote.
Won: Rep. Markwayne Mullin, Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma, Republican, U.S. Senate, drew nearly 62 percent of the vote in a field of four to fill out the unexpired term of outgoing Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe.
Won: Rep. Tom Cole, Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma, Republican, Congressional District 4, drew nearly 67 percent of the vote to defeat Democratic challenger Mary Brannon.
Won: Josh Brecheen, Choctaw, Oklahoma, U.S. House of Representatives District 2, Republican, drew 72 percent of the vote to defeat Democrat Naomi Andrews.
Lost: Tasha DeVaughan, Comanche Nation, Virginia, Democrat, Congressional District 9, fell to incumbent Republican H. Morgan Griffith, who took 73 percent of the vote.
Lost: Lynnette Grey Bull, Northern Arapaho and Hunkpapa Lakota, Wyoming, fell to Republican Harriet Hageman, who took 68 percent of the vote for Wyoming’s only congressional seat.
State and local races
Alaska
Won/lost: Two Indigenous candidates faced off for the State House District 39 seat. Neal Foster, Inupiaq, Democrat, drew 51 percent of the vote to narrowly defeat Tyler Ivanoff, Yup’ik, with the Alaska Independence Party.
Won: Bryce Edgmon, Yup’ik, State House 37, Independent, was unopposed.
Won: Lyman Hoffman, Yup’ik, Democrat, took nearly 65 percent of the vote to defeat Willy Keppel with the Veterans Party of Alaska, for State Senate S.
Won: Josiah Patkotak, Inupiaq, State House 40, Independent, was unopposed
Won: Maxine Dibert, Koyukon Athabascan, State House 31, Democrat, garnered more than 49 percent of the vote to defeat Republicans Barton LeBon, with 29 percent, and Kelly Nash, with nearly 21 percent.
Arizona
Won: Victoria Steele, Seneca and Mingo, Pima County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Democrat, unopposed
Won: Jennifer Jermaine, White Earth Ojibwe, Maricopa County Justice of the Peace San Marcos District, Democrat, unopposed
Won: Susie Nelson, Diné, Navajo County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, Democrat, unopposed
Won: Sara Mae Williams, Tohono O’odham, Pima County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3, Democrat, unopposed
Won: Theresa Hatathlie, Diné, State Senate 6, Democrat, unopposed
Won: Democrat Mae Peshlakai, Diné, won one of two seats representing State House 6, unopposed.
Won: Democrat Myron Tsosie, Diné, won one of two seats representing State House 6, unopposed.
Won: Sally Ann Gonzalez, Pascua Yaqui, State Senate 20, Democrat, unopposed
Won: Ceyshe Napa, Navajo, Democrat, Phoenix Union High School District Ward 4, unopposed
California
Won: James Ramos, Serrano and Cahuilla, California State Assembly District 45, Democrat, took more than 60 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Joseph W. Martinez
Lost: Mitch O’Farrell, Wyandotte, Los Angeles City Council 13th district, Democrat, was defeated by Hugo Soto-Martinez, who drew 55 percent of the vote.
Hawai’i
Won: Lynn Pualani DeCoite, Native Hawaiian, State Senate 7, Democrat, drew more than 70 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Tamara McKay.
Won: Jarrett K. Keohokalole, Native Hawaiian, State Senate 24, Democrat, garnered nearly 67 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Antionette Fernandez.
Won: Michelle Kidani, Native Hawaiian, State Senate 18, Democrat, took nearly 64 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Mary Smart.
Lost: Leilani Soon, Native Hawaiian, State Senate 10, Republican, lost to Democrat Les Ihara Jr., who had 63 percent of the vote.
Won: Brenton Awa, Native Hawaiian, State Senate 23, Republican, drew 49.7 percent of the vote to narrowly defeat incumbent Democrat Gil Riviere, who had 47.3 percent.
Won: Dru Mamo Kanuha, Native Hawaiian, State Senate 3, Democrat, won the seat outright in the August 2022 primary election.
Won: Jeanné Kapela, Native Hawaiian, State House 5, Democrat, took nearly 66 percent of the vote to sail past Republican Lohi Goodwin.
Won: Daniel Holt, Native Hawaiian, State House 28, Democrat, drew 64 percent of the vote to defeat Ernest Caravalho.
Won: James Tokioka, Native Hawaiian, State House 16, Democrat, had 67 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Steve Yoder.
Lost: James “Duke” Aiona, Native Hawaiian, Governor, Republican, lost to Democrat Josh Green, who had nearly 64 percent of the vote.
Won: Adrian Tam, Native Hawaiian, Democrat, State House District 24, took nearly 65 percent of the vote to defeat Republica Jillian Anderson.
Won: Justin Woodson, Native Hawaiian, Democrat, State House District 9, unopposed
Won: Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, Native Hawaiian, Honolulu City Council District VI, drew 49 percent of the vote to defeat Traci Toguchi
Kansas
Won: Christina Haswood, Navajo Nation, State House 10, Democrat, unopposed
Lost: Jaelynn Abegg, Cherokee, State House District 105, Democrat, fell to Republican Brenda Landwehr, who drew 58 percent of the vote.
Maine
Won: Aaron Dana, Passamaquoddy Tribe, State House, non-voting Passamaquoddy tribal representative; began his term Oct. 1
Michigan
Won: Jeff Irwin, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Democrat, State Senate District 15, garnered 76 percent of the vote to defeat Scott Price.
Minnesota
Won: Peggy Flanagan, White Earth Nation, Lieutenant Governor, Democrat. Flanagan and the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Tim Walz, garnered nearly 57 percent of the vote to defeat the Republican slate, Scott Jensen and Matt Birk.
Won/lost: Two White Earth Nation citizens faced off in the bid for State Senate 2. Republican Steve Green took 60 percent of the vote to defeat Democrat Alan Roy.
Won: Mary Kunesh-Podein, Standing Rock Sioux, State Senate 39, Democrat, took 67 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Pam Wold.
Lost: Erika Bailey-Johnson, Red Lake Nation, State House 2B, Democrat, fell to Republican Matt Bliss, who took 63 percent of the vote.
Won: Alicia Kozlowski, Grand Portage Ojibwe/Mexican, State House 8B, Democrat, garnered 71 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Becky Hall.
Won: Jamie Becker-Finn, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe descent, State House 40B, Democrat, bested Republican opponent Allen Shen with more than 67 percent of the vote.
Won: Heather Keeler, Yankton Sioux and Eastern Shoshone, State House 4A, Democrat, beat Republican Lynn Halmrast with nearly 59 percent of the vote.
Won: Tim Sumner, Red Lake Nation, Beltrami County Commissioner District 4, drew 58 percent of the vote to defeat Joseph E. Neft.
Won: Audrey Thayer, White Earth Nation, Bemidji City Council At-large, Democrat, narrowly defeated opponent Ron Johnson with just more than 50 percent of the vote.
Won: Sheila Lamb, Anishinaabe/Cherokee, Cloquet City Council Ward 2, nonpartisan, unopposed
Lost: Charles Black Lance, White Earth Ojibwe/Rosebud Lakota, Brainerd School Board, nonpartisan, drew about 13 percent of the votes in a crowded field.
Montana
Won: Shane Morigeau, Confederated Salish and Kootenai, State Senate 48, Democrat, took 64 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Jacob Van Horn.
Lost: Barbara Bessette, Chippewa Cree, State House 24, Democrat, lost to Republican Steven Galloway, who took 53 percent of the vote.
Won: Donavon Hawk, Crow, State House 76, Democrat, won 63 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Suzzann Nordwick.
Won: Rhonda Knudsen, Turtle Mountain Chippewa, State House 34, Republican, unopposed
Won: Marvin Weatherwax Jr., Blackfeet, State House 15, Democrat, eked out a win with 50 percent of the vote over Republican Ralph Foster.
Won: Tyson Running Wolf, Blackfeet, State House 16, Democrat, unopposed
Won: Frank Smith, Assiniboine Sioux, State House 31, Democrat, drew 54 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Arlie W. Gordon.
Won: Sharon Stewart-Peregoy, Crow, State House 42, Democrat, drew 53 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Virginia McDonald.
Lost: Rynalea Whiteman-Pena, Northern Cheyenne, State House 41, Democrat, lost to Republican Paul Green, who took 57 percent of the vote.
Won: Jonathan Windy Boy, Chippewa Cree, State House 32, Democrat, unopposed
Nevada
Won: Shea Backus, Cherokee Nation, State Assembly District 37, Democrat, drew 55 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Jacob Deaville.
New Mexico
Won: Patricia Roybal Caballero, Piro Manso Tiwa, State House 13, Democrat, unopposed
Won: Anthony Allison, Navajo Nation, State House 4, Democrat, unopposed
Won: Doreen Wonda Johnson, Navajo Nation, State House 5, Democrat, unopposed
Won: Derrick Lente, Sandia and Isleta Pueblo, State House 65, Democrat, unopposed
Still undecided: A tight race for State House District 68 seat has gone to an automatic recount as required under New Mexico law. Democrat Charlotte Little, San Felipe Pueblo, was leading by just a few dozen votes over Republican Robert Henry Moss. The results of the recount are set to be certified on Dec. 13.
Won: Brent Detsoi, Navajo Nation, Magistrate Judge McKinley Division 1, Democrat, unopposed
Won: Virginia Yazzie, Navajo Nation, Magistrate Judge McKinley Division 2, Democrat, unopposed
Won: Edward Becenti Jr., Navajo Nation, County Assessor McKinley, Democrat, unopposed
Lost: Elreno Henio, Navajo Nation, County Sheriff McKinley, Republican, was defeated by Democrat James Maiorano III, who had 67 percent of the vote.
Won: Danielle Notah, Navajo Nation, County Commissioner McKinley 1, Democrat, unopposed
Won: Sharon Clahchischilliage, Navajo Nation, Public Education Commissioner San Juan 5, Republican, unopposed
Won: GloJean Todacheene, Navajo, County Commissioner San Juan 1, Democrat, unopposed
Lost: Zachariah George, Navajo Nation, County Commissioner San Juan 2, Democrat, lost to Republican Gary M. McDaniel, who had 64 percent of the vote.
Lost: Henry Silentman, Navajo Nation, County Assessor San Juan, Democrat, lost to Republican Jimmy Voita, who had 65 percent of the vote.
Lost: Songtree L. Pioche, Taos Pueblo and Oglala Lakota, Magistrate Judge San Juan Division 1, lost to Republican Russell L. Bradford, who drew 80 percent of the vote.
Lost: Gertrude Lee, Navajo Nation, New Mexico Court of Appeals Position 2, Republican, lost to Democratic incumbent Katherine Anne Wray, who drew 51 percent of the vote.
Lost: Karen Bedonie, Navajo Nation, Governor, Libertarian, drew 2 percent of the vote.
Won: Christine Lowery, Laguna Pueblo/Hopi, Cibola County Commissioner District 1, Democrat, took 81 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Richard S. Coop.
North Carolina
Won: Chenoa Davis, Haliwa Saponi, Democrat, won one of three seats on the Halifax County Board of Commissioners in a field of four candidates.
North Dakota
Lost: Ruth Buffalo, Mandan, Hidatsa and Chiricahua Apache, State House 27, Democrat, failed to finish among the top two vote-getters with all votes unofficially counted, losing to two Republicans.
Won: Lisa Finley-DeVille, Mandan, Arikara, Hidatsa, State House 4A, Democrat, finished with more than 69 percent of the vote to beat Republican Terry Burton Jones.
Lost: Lillian Jones, Mandan, Arikara, Hidatsa, State House 41, Democrat, finished behind three other candidates.
Won: Jayme Davis, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, State House 9A, Democrat, beat her challenger with more than 68 percent of the vote.
Lost: Richard Marcellais, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, State Senate 9, Democrat, was beaten by Republican Kent Weston, who drew 53 percent of the vote.
Lost: Collette Brown, Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe, State Senate 15, Democrat, lost to Republican Judy Estenson, who took more than 65 percent of the vote.
Oklahoma
Won: Gov. Kevin Stitt, Cherokee Nation, Republican, defeated Democratic challenger Joy Hofmeister. Stitt drew nearly 56 percent of the vote to Hofmeister’s 42 percent.
Won: Ajay Pittman, Seminole, State House District 99, Democrat, unopposed
Won: Brad Boles, Cherokee, State House District 51, Republican, unopposed
Won: David Hardin, Cherokee, State House District 86, Republican, unopposed
Won: Hurchel “Trey” Caldwell, Choctaw, State House District 63, Republican, drew more than 80 percent of the vote to defeat Democrat Shykira Smith.
Won: John Pfieffer, Cherokee, State House District 38, Republican, unopposed
Won: Mark Vancuren, Cherokee, State House District 74, Republican, unopposed
Won: Mark McBride, Citizen Potawatomi, State House District 53, Republican, unopposed
Won: Mike Osburn, Cherokee, State House District 81, Republican, unopposed
Won: Scott Fetgatter, Choctaw, State House District 1, Republican, unopposed
Oregon
Won: Tawna Sanchez, Shoshone-Bannock, Ute & Carrizo, State House 43, Democrat, garnered more than 90 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Tim LeMaster.
Won: Annessa Hartman, Cayuga, State House 40, Democrat/Independent, took just more than more than 50 percent of the vote to win over Republican/Libertarian Adam Baker.
South Dakota
Won: Shawn Bordeaux, Rosebud Sioux, State Senate 26, Democrat, drew 58 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Joel Koskan.
Won: Peri Pourier, Oglala Lakota, State House 27, Democrat, won one of two seats to represent District 27.
Won: Tamara St. John, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, State House 1, Republican, won one of two seats to represent District 1.
Won: Red Dawn Foster, Oglala Lakota, State Senate 27, Democrat, won 51 percent of the vote for a close win over Republican David Jones.
Tennessee
Won: Bryan Terry, Choctaw, State House 48, Republican, took 67 percent of the vote to defeat Democrat Matt Ferry.
Utah
Lost: Davina Smith, Diné, State House 69, Democrat, fell to Republican Phil Lyman, who drew more than 60 percent of the vote.
Won: Angela Romero, Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes, State House 25, Democrat, took nearly 65 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Rebecca I. Ipson.
Washington
Lost: Laurene Contreras, Yakama, State House 14, with no party preference listed, lost to candidate Chris Corry, described as preferring the Republican Party, for one of two seats representing District 14.
Won: Chris Stearns, Diné, Democrat, won one of two seats representing State House 47, taking 71 percent of the vote to defeat Shukri Olow, also listed as preferring the Democratic Party.
Won: Debra Lekanoff, Tlingit and Aleut, Democrat, took more than 70 percent of the vote to win one of two seats representing State House 40.
Won: Claudia Kauffman, Nez Perce, State Senate 47, Democrat, garnered nearly 53 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Bill Boyce.
Won: Debra Lekanoff, Tlingit/Aleut, State House District 40 Position 1, Democrat, took 69 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Shannon Perkes.
Won: Jennifer White, Makah, Clallam County Treasurer, Democrat, unopposed
Wyoming
Lost: Incumbent Democrat Andi LeBeau, Northern Arapaho, State House 33, lost to Republican challenger Sarah Penn, who drew 55 percent of the vote.
Kalle Benallie and Pauly Denetclaw with ICT contributed to this report.
ICT compiled a database of Indigenous candidates. The database is not complete and ICT encourages people to email political correspondent Pauly Denetclaw at pauly@ictnews.org to add a past or current 2022 candidate to the list.
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