Former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez gets DCCC boost in bid to unseat Rep. Eli Crane

Nez selected for DCCC's 'Red to Blue' program as he aims to become Arizona's first Native American representative in Congress

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez's bid to unseat incumbent GOP Rep. Eli Crane has received a major boost from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). The DCCC announced that Nez's campaign was selected for the first round of its competitive 'Red to Blue' program, which provides organizational and fundraising support to selected candidates. Nez fell short in his first bid to flip District 2 but his performance was seen as impressive, running 3.5 points ahead of former Vice President Kamala Harris in the district.

Why it matters

Nez's selection for the DCCC's 'Red to Blue' program signals that Democratic leaders see him as a strong challenger who can flip the Republican-held seat. The newly redrawn District 2 now spans much of eastern and northern Arizona, including 14 of the state's 22 federally recognized Indigenous tribes, making Nez's potential to become the state's first Native American representative in Congress particularly significant.

The details

Nez, who served as Navajo Nation president, is running against former state Rep. Eric Descheenie in the Democratic primary. During his time as Navajo president, the district was redrawn to include heavily Republican Yavapai County, giving the GOP a significant voter registration advantage. However, Nez argues that his opponent, Rep. Eli Crane, 'spends way too much time playing national politics and no time on what matters here in rural Arizona' and that he can better serve the district's constituents.

  • Nez announced his campaign for Congress in July 2026.
  • The DCCC announced Nez's selection for the 'Red to Blue' program on February 23, 2026.

The players

Jonathan Nez

Former Navajo Nation President who is running to unseat Republican Rep. Eli Crane in Arizona's 2nd Congressional District.

Eli Crane

Incumbent Republican U.S. Representative for Arizona's 2nd Congressional District.

Eric Descheenie

Former Arizona state representative and progressive candidate challenging Nez in the Democratic primary for the 2nd Congressional District.

Suzan DelBene

Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).

Mark Kelly

Democratic U.S. Senator from Arizona.

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What they’re saying

“Jonathan Nez is a bipartisan leader with a track record of putting politics aside to deliver for Northern Arizona. Jonathan will work with anyone — Democrat, Republican, or Independent — to get things done for his community.”

— Suzan DelBene, DCCC chair (azcentral.com)

“We've gotten support from a lot of organizations throughout the country and this is one of many that see common sense coming back into Congress. I'm proud of the work we've done and the coalition we built. This is truly a grassroots campaign powered by thousands of supporters.”

— Jonathan Nez (azcentral.com)

“My opponent, spends way too much time playing national politics and no time on what matters here in rural Arizona. Things like lowering costs, better jobs, water security, and infrastructure. I'm glad folks recognize our campaign is on the map and that we're running a serious operation because this is serious Eli Crane is failing us. He went to Washington and forgot who he's supposed to serve, and voted to protect reckless tarriffs that are raising our costs.”

— Jonathan Nez (azcentral.com)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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