Jonathan Nez

Jonathan Nez
Born	5/26/1975
Birthplace	Tuba City, Arizona, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Title	9th President of the Navajo Nation
Known for	9th President of the Navajo Nation
Education	Northern Arizona University (BS, MPA)
Spouse(s)	Phefelia Nez
Awards	DCCC Red to Blue Program (2026)
Website	https://www.jonathannezforaz.com/

Jonathan Nez (born May 26, 1975) is a Navajo politician who served as the 9th President of the Navajo Nation from January 15, 2019, to January 10, 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, Nez rose through the ranks of Navajo Nation governance, first as a council delegate, then as Vice President under Russell Begaye, before winning the presidency in a decisive 2018 election. His tenure as president was defined in large part by the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the Navajo Nation was among the hardest-hit communities in the United States. Before entering tribal politics, Nez grew up in Shonto, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation, and earned degrees from Northland Pioneer College and Northern Arizona University. In 2024, he became the first Indigenous political candidate in Arizona to secure a major party nomination for a congressional seat when he won the Democratic nomination for Arizona's 2nd congressional district, though he lost to incumbent Republican Eli Crane in the general election. In 2025, he announced a second bid for the same congressional seat.

Early Life

Jonathan Nez was born on May 26, 1975, in Tuba City, Arizona, located within the Navajo Nation. He grew up in the community of Shonto, a small chapter on the western side of the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona. The Navajo Nation, formally known as the Navajo Nation (Diné Bikéyah), is the largest Native American reservation in the United States, spanning portions of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.

Nez was raised in a community where traditional Navajo values and language remained central to daily life. The chapters he would later represent as a council delegate — Tsah Bii' Kin, Navajo Mountain, Shonto, and Oljato — are among the more remote communities on the reservation, areas that have historically faced challenges related to infrastructure, water access, and economic development.

Growing up on the reservation shaped Nez's understanding of the issues facing Native American communities, including limited access to healthcare, education, and basic utilities. These formative experiences would later inform his political career and his emphasis on infrastructure development and public health initiatives during his time in tribal government.

Education

Nez attended Northland Pioneer College, a community college in northeastern Arizona, before transferring to Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He later returned to Northern Arizona University to complete a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree. His graduate education in public administration provided a foundation for his career in tribal governance, equipping him with knowledge of government operations, public policy, and organizational management that he would apply throughout his political career.

Career

Navajo Nation Council Delegate

Nez began his career in tribal politics as a member of the Navajo Nation Council, the legislative body of the Navajo Nation. He was elected as a council delegate representing the chapters of Tsah Bii' Kin, Navajo Mountain, Shonto, and Oljato, serving from January 9, 2007, to May 12, 2015. These chapters are located in the western portion of the Navajo Nation, in some of the most geographically isolated areas of the reservation.

As a council delegate, Nez was among the youngest individuals to serve in that capacity at the time of his election. During his tenure on the council, he focused on issues affecting his constituents, including infrastructure development, water access, and economic opportunities for the remote communities he represented. His work as a delegate established his reputation within Navajo Nation politics and positioned him for higher office.

Nez also engaged with the federal government on behalf of the Navajo Nation. He provided testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies in May 2017, during his time as Vice President, advocating for federal funding and resources for the Navajo Nation.

Vice President of the Navajo Nation

In 2014, Nez ran for Vice President of the Navajo Nation on a ticket with Russell Begaye. The Begaye-Nez ticket won the election, and Nez was inaugurated as the 9th Vice President of the Navajo Nation on May 12, 2015. He succeeded Rex Lee Jim in the position.

The inauguration ceremony was notable for including several firsts in Navajo Nation history. As Vice President, Nez worked alongside President Begaye on issues including economic development, government reform, and intergovernmental relations. He served in this capacity until January 15, 2019, when he assumed the presidency.

During the 2016 presidential primary season, Nez was among Native American leaders who supported Bernie Sanders's campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.

President of the Navajo Nation

2018 Election

In 2018, Nez ran for President of the Navajo Nation. He won the general election by a substantial margin of approximately 19,000 votes, securing a decisive mandate from Navajo voters. His running mate, Myron Lizer, became Vice President. At the time of his election, Nez was noted as among the youngest leaders to serve as President of the Navajo Nation.

Nez was inaugurated as the 9th President of the Navajo Nation on January 15, 2019, succeeding Russell Begaye.

COVID-19 Pandemic Response

The defining challenge of Nez's presidency was the COVID-19 pandemic, which struck the Navajo Nation with devastating force beginning in the spring of 2020. The Navajo Nation experienced one of the highest per capita infection rates in the United States, a crisis exacerbated by pre-existing conditions on the reservation including limited access to running water, overcrowded housing, and a shortage of healthcare facilities.

Nez implemented aggressive public health measures to combat the spread of the virus on the reservation, including strict stay-at-home orders, weekend curfews, and mask mandates. He became a prominent national voice on the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on Indigenous communities, drawing attention to the systemic inequities that made Native American populations especially vulnerable.

In August 2020, Nez was selected as one of the keynote speakers at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, where he addressed the nation regarding the challenges facing Indigenous communities during the pandemic. His appearance at the convention elevated the visibility of tribal nations' pandemic struggles on a national platform.

Other Policy Initiatives

During his term as president, Nez also addressed issues beyond the pandemic response. His administration worked on infrastructure development, including efforts to expand broadband internet access and improve roads on the reservation. He advocated for increased federal funding for the Navajo Nation and engaged with federal officials on issues including water rights and natural resource management.

On social issues, Nez's tenure coincided with ongoing discussions within the Navajo Nation about same-sex marriage. The Navajo Nation had enacted a ban on same-sex marriage in 2005 through the Diné Marriage Act. During Nez's presidency, LGBTQ+ Navajo couples and advocates continued to call for the repeal of this law and recognition of marriage equality within the tribe's jurisdiction.

2022 Election and End of Presidency

In 2022, Nez sought re-election as President of the Navajo Nation but was defeated by challenger Buu Nygren. Nez's term ended on January 10, 2023, when Nygren was inaugurated as his successor.

2024 Congressional Campaign

Following his departure from the Navajo Nation presidency, Nez turned his attention to federal politics. In 2024, he sought the Democratic nomination for Arizona's 2nd congressional district, a large, predominantly rural district that encompasses much of the Navajo Nation as well as other parts of northern and eastern Arizona. He ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, securing the nomination and making history as the first Indigenous political candidate in Arizona to win a major party nomination for a congressional seat.

In the general election, Nez faced incumbent Republican Eli Crane. Despite the historic nature of his candidacy and significant attention from national media and Indigenous advocacy organizations, Nez lost to Crane. The district, which had shifted in a more conservative direction in recent election cycles, proved challenging for Democrats.

During the campaign, Nez emphasized his experience leading the Navajo Nation, including his bipartisan approach to governance. He noted that as president of the Navajo Nation, he had included Republicans in his cabinet, and argued that this experience prepared him for working across the aisle in Congress.

2026 Congressional Campaign

On July 22, 2025, Nez announced a second bid for Congress, again seeking to unseat Eli Crane in Arizona's 2nd congressional district. In announcing his candidacy, Nez declared, "I am a fighter," signaling his determination to continue pursuing the seat despite his 2024 loss.

The campaign attracted early support from the national Democratic establishment. In February 2026, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) added Nez to its "Red to Blue" program, a competitive designation that provides candidates with strategic, fundraising, and communications support. He also received support from Democratic leaders in his race against Crane.

A central issue in Nez's 2026 campaign has been healthcare access for rural Arizonans. He has criticized Crane's record on healthcare policy, arguing that the incumbent's positions have made healthcare more expensive for residents of the sprawling, rural district.

Nez has also continued to emphasize his identity as a Native American candidate and his goal of becoming the first Native American to represent Arizona in Congress. His campaign has garnered attention from Indigenous media outlets and Native American political organizations.

Personal Life

Nez is married to Phefelia Nez. The couple has been active in Navajo Nation public life, with Phefelia Nez serving in a public-facing role as First Lady during Jonathan's presidency.

Nez is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation and maintains ties to the community of Shonto, Arizona, where he grew up. He is a speaker of the Navajo language and has emphasized the importance of preserving Navajo culture and traditions throughout his political career.

In 2022, Nez participated in a notable event that drew national media coverage when he joined a parade in New Mexico celebrating Native American culture and heritage.

Recognition

Nez's 2024 congressional campaign was recognized as a historic milestone. His securing of the Democratic nomination for Arizona's 2nd congressional district made him the first Indigenous political candidate in Arizona to win a major party nomination for a congressional seat. This achievement drew significant attention from both Indigenous and mainstream media organizations.

His selection as a keynote speaker at the 2020 Democratic National Convention brought national attention to both his leadership of the Navajo Nation and the broader challenges facing Indigenous communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The convention appearance placed Nez alongside other prominent Democratic figures on a national stage.

In 2026, the DCCC's inclusion of Nez in its "Red to Blue" program reflected the national party's assessment that his congressional race represented a competitive opportunity to flip a Republican-held seat. The designation provides candidates with organizational and strategic resources and is typically reserved for candidates the party views as having viable paths to victory.

Nez has been featured in coverage by numerous media outlets throughout his career, including the Navajo Times, ABC15 Arizona, The Arizona Republic, The Guardian, ICT News, and Native News Online. His prominence as a Native American political figure has made him a frequent subject of reporting on Indigenous representation in American politics.

Legacy

Jonathan Nez's political career represents a significant chapter in the history of Navajo Nation governance and Indigenous political representation in the United States. As the 9th President of the Navajo Nation, he led the tribe's largest government through an unprecedented public health crisis, implementing measures that sought to protect a population made vulnerable by decades of systemic underinvestment in reservation infrastructure and healthcare.

His leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic brought sustained national attention to the conditions on the Navajo Nation, including the lack of running water in many homes, the shortage of medical facilities, and the overcrowded housing that facilitated viral transmission. The aggressive public health measures he implemented, including curfews and mask mandates, were among the strictest in the country and became a subject of both praise and debate.

Nez's transition from tribal politics to a campaign for the U.S. Congress reflected a broader trend of Native American candidates seeking representation at the federal level. His 2024 nomination as the first Indigenous major-party congressional candidate in Arizona history marked a milestone in the state's political landscape, regardless of the general election outcome. His decision to run again in 2026, with enhanced support from the national Democratic Party, indicates the ongoing significance of his candidacy to efforts to increase Indigenous representation in Congress.

Throughout his career, Nez has consistently emphasized themes of bipartisan governance, infrastructure development, healthcare access, and cultural preservation — issues that bridge his experience in tribal government and his aspirations for federal office.