Updated at 10:15 p.m. Eastern Time.
Jourdan Bennett-Begaye
ICT
NEW YORK — The Empire State will have its first Native American woman in Congress: Claire Valdez.
A moment that “would mean a lot,” Valdez told ICT Tuesday afternoon in Astoria while talking to voters, if she made history. And she did. “It’s really meaningful to have that representation, to have people who are going to be attentive to the issues of Indian Country, who are going to be committed to sovereignty, to acknowledging and respecting our treaties … it’s a big honor.”
Valdez, Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo, led the polls by 85 percent before the Associated Press called her race eight minutes after the polls closed in New York.
She is one of the seven Indigenous candidates from six states running to represent the lower chamber of Congress.
Two races were called by The Associated Press for incumbent Republican Reps. Josh Brecheen and Tom Cole in Oklahoma.
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Sharice Davis of Kansas took an early lead in her bid to continue her reign as the longest-serving Native American woman in Congress.
Davids had 62 percent of the votes counted over Republican challenger Eric Jenkins, who had 36 percent, in early returns.
Democrat Sean McCann, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, in Michigan trails behind his incumbent Bill Huizenga, Republican, with 35 percent of the votes. Huizenga has 64 percent of the votes.
With the polls officially closed in Kansas, Michigan, New York, Oklahoma, three Native candidates were holding their own in their races for the U.S. House.
Returns were not yet available for the other Native candidates running for Congress: Bill Hill, Dena’ina Athabaskan, an Independent in Alaska; and Jonathan Nez, Navajo, a Democrat running in Arizona.
Davids, Ho-Chunk, is running to keep her seat in Kansas’ 3rd Congressional District against Jenkins, and Steve Hohe, Libertarian.
Davids is the longest-serving Native American woman ever in Congress. She made history with Deb Haaland as they became the first two Native women elected to the U.S. House. Haaland, Laguna Pueblo, is running this year for governor of New Mexico.
If Davids wins, it would be her fifth term as a U.S. representative.
Nearly 420,000 people participated in early voting in person, and an additional 85,000 did a mail-in ballot, according to Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab
Oklahoma: Tom Cole and Josh Brecheen
In Oklahoma, Josh Brecheen, Choctaw, an incumbent running for re-election to Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District, was declared the winner by The Associated Press not long after the polls closed, after garnering nearly 66 percent of the vote with about two-thirds of the precincts counted.
He is challenged by Brandon Wade, a Democrat, and Ronnie Hopkins, an Independent.
Incumbent Republican Tom Cole, the longest-serving Native American ever in Congress, is being challenged by Democrat Mitchell Jacob and Independent Rocco Bonacci. Cole had nearly 65 percent of the vote with about 25 percent of the precincts counted.
Cole, Chickasaw,has been serving Oklahoma’s 4th Congressional District since 2003. He is seeking his 13th term.
Sean McCann in Michigan
Sean McCann, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, is taking on Republican incumbent Bill Huizenga, who has served Michigan’s 4th Congressional District for 15 years. Also on the ballot is Shafina Barnett, Independent.
McCann serves in the Michigan Legislature as a senator and his current term ends on Jan, 1, 2027. He did not run for reelection to the state position.
Michigan polls closed but returns were not available as of 9 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday.
Claire Valdez in New York
Claire Valdez, Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo, was trouncing her opponents, taking 85 percent of the vote with about 27 percent of the precincts counted.
Valdez, who currently serves as an assemblymember in the state Legislature, is running to represent New York’s 7th Congressional District. The district crosses Brooklyn and Queens, two of New York City’s boroughs.
Valdez faces Melvin Rivera, Republican, and Priscilla Ghaznavi from the Our Future Party.
New York’s polls closed at 9 p.m. Eastern.
Jonathan Nez in Arizona
Jonathan Nez, Navajo, is making another run at Congress after losing by a close margin in 2024. He is running as a Democrat for Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District against Republican incumbent Eli Crane.
The Arizona polls were set to close at 7 p.m. Mountain Time.
Bill Hill in Alaska
In the state’s lone congressional seat, former Bristol Bay Borough School Superintendent Bill Hill, Dena’ina Athabaskan, is running against Republican incumbent Nick Begich and two others.
Hill is running as an independent, but he has the backing of several local union organizations as well as Anchorage pastor Matt Schultz, the top Democrat in the race before he suspended his campaign and endorsed Hill. Begich placed first in the primary with about 45 percent of the vote, followed by Hill with about 33 percent.
Alaska polls close at midnight Eastern Time.
Logan Pierson, an ICT correspondent in Kansas, contributed to this report, which includes material from The Associated Press.
