Lovejoy wants nation to join 21st Century

Lynda Lovejoy is hoping the second time is the charm.

Lovejoy, who came in second four years ago to Joe Shirley Jr., held a pre-announcement press conference Tuesday. Surrounded by some 40 friends, family and supporters, she explained why she has decided to run again.

"I pledge to bring the Navajo Nation into the 21st Century," she said.

A New Mexico state senator, Lovejoy said one of her main goals if she wins the presidency is to bring respect and dignity back to the Navajo Nation government.

"We can't have the president and the speaker struggling over power," she said, adding that she feels that it has hampered the tribe's progress for the past two decades.

Lovejoy's has scheduled her official announcement for Saturday, May 15, starting at 9 a.m. at the Crownpoint Chapter House. But she used Tuesday's press conference to highlight the direction she plans to take in this campaign.

"I won't make any promises that are not deliverable," she said, "and everything I promise, I will do."

Lovejoy spent a lot of time outlining her view of the problems on the reservation, from the 55 percent unemployment rate to the fact that too many homes still lack basics like running water and electricity.

"I believe we still live in a Third World country," she said. "We are still using dirt roads and living under oppressive conditions."

She promised that she would work toward making the government stronger and more successful and one that will listen to the Navajo people.

"There's so much that is good about the three-branch form of government," she said, but over the years leaders have lost their way and as a result programs have suffered.

The next four years won't be easy ones, she said, pointing to the possibility of cutbacks at area power plants and coalmines.

Lovejoy said she would work to bring in more manufacturing jobs and create an environment that will be business friendly, protect and invest in the nation's natural resources, and stop "the squandering of our tribal funds."

"I will work with the tribal leadership to come up with a solid, unified plan," she said. "If we don't do this, nothing will change.

"I'm so excited about running (this time)," she said toward the end of her press conference "because we need a different type of leadership for the next four years."

She said she could remember a time when the tribe's economy was vibrant and the government was strong. "We need to make our government strong again," she said.

Lovejoy received more than 30,000 votes in the last general election, overcoming traditional teachings against women in public roles. She hopes to bring many of these voters with her in this race.

Lovejoy also said she plans to spend more time meeting with urban Navajos than she did in the 2006 campaign, starting later this month with a visit to Denver. She also plans to make trips to Phoenix and Albuquerque, convinced that the urban vote is a largely untapped resource.

Lovejoy said she is still in the process of setting up her campaign and while it will have many familiar faces, she also expects to appoint some new ones.

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