Jonathan Nez

This is a race that's fascinating.

It features former president of the Navajo Nation, Democratic congressional candidate in Arizona, Jonathan Nez.

This is a rematch of in this race.

U.S. Representative Eli Crane is a member of the far right House Freedom Caucus.

And Mr. Nez is going at it a second time.

And I've been watching this race, and the polls in this race are really tight.

But if Jonathan Nez can flip this seat in Arizona again, one of those bellwether races that tells us something about what we might expect in Arizona and beyond come 2028 when we get to the presidential election.

With that said, I welcome the former president of the Navajo Nation to this program.

But that's not the only Republican ad that had a problem last week in Arizona.

A group linked to President Trump started airing this ad attacking Democrat Jonathan Nez.

Take a look at this ad panel and tell us what you think is wrong with it.

While Arizona families are struggling, Jonathan Ness was accused of using tribal money to take his family to Disney World.

What was wrong with the ad? I didn't see anything wrong with it.

It seemed like a hard-hitting ad against a Democratic challenger who apparently used tribal money for nefarious purposes.

The problem with the ad is that that wasn't Jonathan Nez.

Here's the guy in the ad, and here's the real Jonathan Nez.

see i was going to say something about that

which one jonathan nez

nope uh district six actually joined mendoza and juan siscomani

In Arizona?

that's

good though yeah any lead is a good thing

So this congressional race in Arizona that I want to talk about briefly is Jonathan Nez running up against Eli Crane, which sounds like the name of a Batman villain.

But Eli Crane is some kind of DC Comics guy for sure.

One race in Arizona stands out, Arizona's 2nd Congressional District.

There, incumbent congressman Eli Crane was initially targeted by Democrats, but now the Democrat super PACs have seemingly abandoned their candidate, Jonathan Nez.

They've pulled out of the race.

They've taken their ads off the airwaves.

Yeah, I know Andy will win my congressional district.

Our big concern is the state.

And, uh, you know, it's interest- it's so weird to me, Matt, because Andy is one of the best candidates, one of the best elected officials I've ever met in my life, and there's no doubt in my mind that Arizona would be in very good, trusted hands with Andy Biggs, especially when I look at who he's running against.

Um, but I also know how important, you mentioned the Democrats pulling out of my race.

He entered politics spreading conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, which Donald Trump lost.

The Democrat in the race is Jonathan Nez.

Nez has already represented much of the district as the president of the Navajo Nation.

His policy platform focuses on lowering health care and improving housing costs, improving rural infrastructure and protecting the tribal sovereignty of Native nations.

in 2024 when Crane won that election by nine points.

But in a national environment swinging toward Democrats, Nez is hoping to make up the difference on November the 3rd.

So joining me now is Jonathan Nez.

He's a former president of the Navajo Nation and a Democratic candidate for Congress in Arizona's 2nd District.

Oh, this is a crazy ad for a, uh, congressional race in Arizona.

The Democrat, Jonathan Nez, is running.

And, uh, check out this ad from a political action committee.

Okay.

I saw this ad.

I never heard of the guy.

Jonathan Nez, he was a, a tribal leader in, for the, uh, Navajo Nation.

Uh, and so he has, uh, he's running for Congress now.