WASHINGTON -- Though Native American and Alaska Native communities are often overlooked in electoral politics, their votes could decide the outcome of three close congressional contests this November.
In Alaska, Sen. Mark Begich (D), who's running against former Attorney General Dan Sullivan (R), is contrasting his record on issues relevant to Alaska Natives with Sullivan's past challenge of subsistence rights. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Ariz.) has run ads narrated in Navajo to engage with voters living on some of the country's largest reservations. And in the race to represent Montana's sole House district, Democrat John Lewis is frequenting pow wows and reservation events in an attempt to show that he'd be more responsive to Native Americans' concerns than his opponent, former state Sen. Ryan Zinke (R).
Begich, Kirkpatrick and Lewis may be taking a page out of the playbook of retiring Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), who beat then-Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) by just 524 votes in 2002. In a cycle when Republicans took control of the Senate and increased their House majority, Johnson won with the help of unusually high Native American voter turnout.
Much More: Key Congressional Races May Hinge On Support From Native Americans, Alaska Natives
This is deliciously refreshing. Makes my day!
In Alaska, Sen. Mark Begich (D), who's running against former Attorney General Dan Sullivan (R), is contrasting his record on issues relevant to Alaska Natives with Sullivan's past challenge of subsistence rights. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Ariz.) has run ads narrated in Navajo to engage with voters living on some of the country's largest reservations. And in the race to represent Montana's sole House district, Democrat John Lewis is frequenting pow wows and reservation events in an attempt to show that he'd be more responsive to Native Americans' concerns than his opponent, former state Sen. Ryan Zinke (R).
Begich, Kirkpatrick and Lewis may be taking a page out of the playbook of retiring Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), who beat then-Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) by just 524 votes in 2002. In a cycle when Republicans took control of the Senate and increased their House majority, Johnson won with the help of unusually high Native American voter turnout.
Much More: Key Congressional Races May Hinge On Support From Native Americans, Alaska Natives
This is deliciously refreshing. Makes my day!
