Advance Native Political Leadership

Our national endorsement slate of Native American candidates spans local, state, and federal offices and includes candidates who will fight for a democracy that will protect our community, our environment, and our futures.

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FEDERAL

• Mary Peltola (Yup’ik) - U.S. House of Representatives, Alaska At-Large
• Taysha DeVaughan (Comanche Nation of Oklahoma) - U.S. House of Representatives, Virginia District 9

STATE

• Andi LeBeau (Northern Arapaho and Cheyenne River Sioux) - Wyoming State House of Representatives, District 33
• Barbara Bessette (Chippewa-Cree) - Montana State House of Representatives, District 24
• Davina Smith (Diné) - Utah State House of Representatives, District 69
• Derrick J. Lente (Pueblo of Sandia) - New Mexico State House of Representatives, District 65
• Donavon Hawk (Crow and Crow Creek Sioux) - Montana State House of Representatives, District 76
• Erika Bailey-Johnson (Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians) - Minnesota State House of Representatives, District 2B
• Jamie Becker-Finn (Leech Lake Ojibwe) - Minnesota State House of Representatives, District 40B
• Lillian Jones (Arikara and Hidatsa) - North Dakota State House of Representatives, District 41
• Lisa Finley-DeVille (MNA Nation) - North Dakota State House of Representatives, District 4A
• Maxine Dibert (Koyukon Athabascan) - Alaska State House of Representatives, District 31
• Shane A. Morigeau (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation) - Montana State Senate, District 48
• Tawna Sanchez (Shoshone-Bannock, Ute, and Carrizo) - Oregon State House of Representatives, District 43

LOCAL

• Zachariah (Zac) George (Diné) - San Juan, NM County Commission District 2

rose, we need to elect more than 17,000 Indigenous leaders to office to reach representational parity. This November election, we have an opportunity to vote more Native American leaders into office than in any other previous election. I invite you to read more about these phenomenal Indigenous candidates and share with friends by visiting advancenativepl.org/2022-endorsements.

Thank you,

Anathea and the Advance Native Political Leadership Team

P.S. You can view our first slate announcement in our original email below.

Guu’wah’tse, rose —

This is an historic day for the future of U.S. politics, for Indian Country, and for our organization. More Native Americans ran for office in the 2022 midterm elections than ever before. And we’re making history today by releasing the first-ever national endorsement slate of Native American candidates spanning local, state, and federal offices.

Indigenous leadership is transforming our country and our democracy. We’re writing ourselves into the future and reclaiming our rightful place at the table. We’re proud to announce our inaugural slate of candidates. We believe deeply in their leadership and their commitment to building a democracy that is reflective of who we are as Indigenous peoples.

FEDERAL

• Charles Graham (Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina) - U.S. House of Representatives, North Carolina District 9
• Mercedes Krause (Oglala Lakota) - U.S. House of Representatives, Nevada District 2
• Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk) - U.S. House of Representatives, Kansas District 3

STATE

• Alan Roy (White Earth Ojibwe) - Minnesota State Senate, District 2
• Alicia Kozlowski (Ojibwe-Mexicana) - Minnesota State House of Representatives, District 8B
• Charlotte Little (San Felipe Pueblo) - New Mexico House of Representatives, District 68
• Chris Stearns (Diné) - Washington State House of Representatives, District 47 - Position 2
• Christina Haswood (Diné) - Kansas State House of Representatives, District 10
• Claudia Kauffman (Nez Perce) - Washington State Senate, District 47
• Heather Keeler (Yankton Sioux and Eastern Shoshone) - Minnesota State House of Representatives, District 4A
• Mary Kunesh (Standing Rock Sioux) - Minnesota State Senate, District 39
• Peggy Flanagan (White Earth Ojibwe) - Lt. Governor of Minnesota
• Ruth Anna Buffalo (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation) - North Dakota State House of Representatives, District 27
• Shea Backus (Cherokee) - Nevada State Assembly, District 37

LOCAL

• Ceyshe Napa (Diné) - Phoenix Union High School District, Ward 4
• Songtree Pioche (Taos Pueblo and Oglala Lakota) - New Mexico Magistrate Judge, San Juan Division 1

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CANDIDATES.

More than 142 Native candidates made the leap to run for office during the 2022 midterm elections – the highest number on record. To date, there are less than 200 Native Americans holding elected office in the U.S., with more than 17,000 needed to reach representational parity in elected office.

We have our work cut out for us. This is why we’re building long-term infrastructure to support Native leadership for generations to come. We aim to establish a trusted reputation and a long history of Indigenous candidates and elected officials who protect the next seven generations. This is just the beginning.

Thank you for all that you do to build Native power,

Anathea and the Advance Native Political Leadership team - Anthony, April, Em, Jordan, and Pam