Kalle Benallie
ICT
It’s a big primary election in six states — California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota — with 52 Indigenous candidates on the ballots.
The most notable Native candidate in Tuesday’s primaries: Deb Haaland, who is Laguna Pueblo. She is one of two Native women running for governor seats this year. The other being Meda DeWitt in Alaska. Haaland was the former Secretary of the Department of Interior, the first Native American to run a cabinet-level agency.
New Mexico is home to 23 tribes (19 pueblos, three Apache tribes, and the Navajo Nation) and is the third state with the highest number of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
In California, ICT is watching James Ramos’ race, who is running for California State Assembly. He was the first Native American to serve in the California State Legislature when he took office in December 2018. California is the second state with the largest number of federally recognized tribes, 109, and only has one Native person in public office.
Montana has 20 Native candidates running for office. The state is the only state to have the highest number of Native people in the state legislature where they have the American Indian Caucus. The caucus has been in place since 1989 and brings forward issues that affect the Indigenous population and the 12 tribes in the state.
Iowa has Jessica Lopez-Walker, who is Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, vying for a seat in the Iowa House of Representatives. Meskwaki Nation is the only federally recognized tribe in the state.
In South Dakota, seven Native candidates are running from school boards to city council, and the state legislature. Nine federally recognized tribes call South Dakota home.
Here are the candidates in Tuesday’s primary election with their name, tribal affiliation, and public office they are running for, according to ICT and Advance Native Political Leadership’s Indigenous candidate database. Stay updated at ICT for the results.
California
- Teola Tremayne —Western Shoshone — Alpine County Clerk
- James Ramos — Serrano, Cahuilla — California State Assembly
- Shannon Wingfield — Juaneño Band of Mission Indians Acjachemen Nation — California State Assembly
- Devon Lomayesva — Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel — California Superior Court San Diego County
- Steven Orihuela — Bishop Paiute Tribe — Inyo County Board of Supervisors
- Eddie Crandell — Robinson Rancheria of Pomo Indians — Lake County Board of Supervisors
- Tasha Cerda — Tohono O’odham — Mayor of Gardena
- Buffey Bourassa — Sherwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo of California — Mendocino County Board of Supervisors
Iowa
- Jessica Lopez- Walker — Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska — Iowa House of Representatives
Montana
- Ernie Bear Don’t Walk — Crow Tribe — Big Horn County Justice Court
- Denise Juneau – Mandan Hidatasa Arikara Nation — Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees
- Adrien Owen Wagner – Blackfeet Nation — Montana House of Representatives
- Donavon Hawk — Crow — Montana House of Representatives
- Jade Sooktis — Northern Cheyenne — Montana House of Representatives
- Katie Fire Thunder — Oglala Lakota — Montana House of Representatives
- Lance FourStar — Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes — Montana House of Representatives
- Lona Running Wolf — Blackfeet Nation — Montana House of Representatives
- Mike Fox — Gros Ventre — Montana House of Representatives
- Natalie Weeks-O’Neal — Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribe — Montana House of Representatives
- Shelly Fyant — Bitterroot Salish of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes — Montana House of Representatives
- Sidney “Chip” Fitzpatrick — Crow Tribe — Montana House of Representatives
- Thedis Crowe — Blackfeet Nation — Montana House of Representatives
- Angeline Cheek — Oglala Sioux, Hunkpapa Lakota, — Montana Public Service Commission
- Erin Farris-Olsen — Brothertown Indian Nation — Montana State Senate
- Jade-Heather Ackerman — Blackfeet Nation — Montana State Senate
- Shane Morigeau — Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation — Montana State Senate
- Tyson Running Wolf — Blackfeet Nation — Montana State Senate
- Charles Walking Child — Chippewa Cree Tribe – U.S. Senate
- Michael Black Wolf —- Anishinaabe — U.S. Senate
New Mexico
- Deb Haaland — Laguna Pueblo — Governor
- Edward Becenti Jr — Diné — McKinley County Assessor
- Danielle Notah — Diné — McKinley County Commission
- Kevin Mitchell — Diné — McKinley County Commission
- Virginia Yazzie — Diné — McKinley County Magistrate Court
- Brenna Clani-Washinawatok — Diné — New Mexico 11th Judicial District Court
- Charlotte Little — San Felipe Pueblo — New Mexico House of Representatives
- Christina Aspaas — Diné — New Mexico House of Representatives
- Derrick Lente — Sandia Pueblo, Laguna Pueblo — New Mexico House of Representatives
- Doreen Wonda Johnson — Diné — New Mexico House of Representatives
- Joseph Hernandez — Diné — New Mexico House of Representatives
- Martha Garcia — Diné —New Mexico House of Representatives
- Michelle Paulene Abeyta — Diné — New Mexico House of Representatives
- Patricia Roybal Caballero — Piro/Manso/Tiwa Indian tribe, Pueblo of San Juan de Guadalupe — New Mexico House of Representatives
- Priscilla Benally — Diné — New Mexico House of Representatives
- Sharon Clahchischilliage — Diné — New Mexico Public Education Commission
South Dakota
- Michaela Madrid — Lower Brule Lakota Sioux — Lawrence County Commissioner
- Walt Swan Jr. — Cheyenne River Lakota — Rapid City Area Schools School Board
- Murray Lee — Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate — Rapid City City Council
- Valeriah Big Eagle —Ihanktonwan Dakota/Nakota — Rapid City City Council
- Dawn Marie Johnson — Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate — Sioux Falls School District Board of Education
- Tyler Tordsen — Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate — South Dakota House of Representatives and South Dakota Republican Party Precinct Committeeman
- Troy “Luke” Lunderman — Cherokee — South Dakota State Senate
