Native candidates in Super Tuesday
Kalle Benallie
ICT
The largest primary election is here: Super Tuesday.
Super Tuesday is where 16 states and one territory vote in the presidential primary election indicating the candidates who will secure the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations. But it’s not just limited to the presidential nominations, there are elections for state House, Senate and governor seats.
The American Samoa Democratic Presidential Caucus selected the previously unknown candidate Jason Palmer, 51 votes to 40, over President Biden.
The American Samoa Democratic Party is the American Samoa affiliate of the U.S. Democratic Party. It is based in the territorial capital of Pago Pago, which is the capital of American Samoa, an unincorporated U.S. territory. Samoans, Indigenous Polynesian, make up the majority of the population.
The American Samoa Republican Presidential Caucus will be held Friday, March 8. Residents of American Samoa are not eligible to vote in November’s general election.
The states that are in Super Tuesday include: Alabama, Alaska’s Republican presidential primary (party-run), Arkansas, California, Colorado, Iowa’s Democratic presidential preference (party-run), Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah’s Democratic presidential primary and Republican presidential caucuses, Vermont and Virginia.
Yurok Tribe Vice Chairman Frankie Myers. (Photo courtesy of the Yurok Tribe)
There are 10 Native candidates who are in those elections, including current Yurok Tribe Vice Chairman Frankie Myers, according to a database by ICT and Advance Native Political Leadership. The Democrat is running for California State Assembly District 2. He will be running against six other candidates, five Democrats and one Republican. In California, the top two vote-getters in each primary race advance to the general election even if they are both from the same party.
If Myers wins the general election on Nov. 5, he would be the first Native American Assemblymember in District 2. The district has a majority of Republican voters and is so large that five counties are within its border.
Some of the priorities Myers will focus on if elected will be to push for a sustainable economy, similar to what Yurok has built, protecting the environment, housing access and health insurance for all.
“I try to look past party preferences when we’re discussing our communities and really try to drive forward these community-driven initiatives, really talking one to one and talking about values that help drive a more holistic kind of governance that we like to propel in Yurok that I think is much needed in this district,” he said.
Myers said Assemblymember James Ramos, Serrano and Cahuilla, California’s first Native American legislature, inspired him to run.
“Having discussions with him and seeing the work that we’ve done in California to really elevate tribal issues and issues as a whole, I think was really what was the tipping point to say okay let’s put my name in the hat and let’s give it a try,” he said.
Assemblyman James Ramos, D-Highlands, watches as votes are posted on a gun control measure at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. Ramos, Serrano and Cahuilla, is running against Scott Olson in the March 5, 2024, nonpartisan primary for California State Assembly District 45. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Candidates running for office
Democrat James Ramos, Serrano and Cahuilla, is running for reelection against write-in candidate Scott Olson in the nonpartisan primary for California State Assembly District 45. Because only two candidates are seeking this seat, both Ramos and Olson will move on to the November general election.
Deborah Sanchez, nonpartisan, advanced automatically to win the California Superior Court Los Angeles County after the primary election was canceled. Sanchez is Chumash, O'odham and Raramúri.
Ramona Landeros, Apache, is running against eight other candidates for the nonpartisan primary for Sacramento City Council District 2. If Landeros receives more than 50 percent of the primary vote in her city council race, she wins. But if no candidate achieves that, the top two will advance to a runoff election in November.
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Ami Admire, Payomkawichum, is running for San Diego County Democratic Party Central Committee for District 75 in California. She currently is third in votes. Six candidates will be elected to the committee.
Todd Gloria, Tlingit, is running for reelection for Mayor of San Diego in California. He is going against four other candidates. The two top vote-getters will move on to the general election in November. He is the first San Diego mayor of Native descent. Gloria is also running for San Diego County Democratic Party Central Committee District 77, six seats available.
Genevieve “Gina” Jones, Big Pine Paiute Tribe, is running for Inyo County Board of Supervisors District 4 in California.
Frankie Myers, Yurok and Karuk, is running against six candidates for California State Assembly District 2.
Charlene Nijmeh, Muwekma Ohlone, is running against four candidates for U.S. House California District 18.
Channce Condit, Cherokee, is running for reelection for Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors District 5 in California. He is running against no other candidates.
Jarrod Lowery, Lumbee, advanced automatically to win the North Carolina House of Representatives to represent District 47.
Baltazar Fedalizo, Chiricahua Apache, is running as a write-in candidate for U.S. House California District 37.
2024 SUPER TUESDAY RESULTS
California
- Deborah Sanchez - California Superior Court Los Angeles County: WON
- Channce Condit - Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors District 5: WON
- James Ramos - State Assembly District 45: WON
- Charlene Jijmeh - U.S. House California District 18: LOST
- Baltazar Fedalizo - U.S. House California District 37: LOST
- Genevieve “Gina” Jones - Inyo County Board of Supervisors District 4: LOST
- Ramona Landeros - Sacramento City Council District 2: LOST
- Frankie Myers - State Assembly District 2: LOST
- Todd Gloria - San Diego Mayor and San Diego County Democratic Party Central Committee District 77: WON
- Ami Admire - San Diego County Democratic Party Central Committee for District 75: WON
North Carolina
- Jarrod Lowery - North Carolina House of Representatives District 47: WON
Follow ICT for updated election results.
ICT’s Pauly Denetclaw and Paris Wise contributed to this report.
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