Deb Haaland rallies Navajo Nation for Harris-Walz campaign, highlights veteran issues

By Robert Bettis
Navajo Times

WINDOW ROCK – On Sept. 22 and 23, the Honorable Deb Haaland joined the Navajo Nation to campaign for the Harris-Walz ticket, energizing Native American voters and emphasizing the significance of the Native vote in the upcoming primary election. Haaland, in her personal capacity, attended multiple events aimed at mobilizing voters and supporting veterans.

Navajo Times | Krista Allen
The Honorable Deb Haaland speaks with military veteran Jeff Begay at the Hogan Restaurant in Tuba City on Sunday, Sept. 22. Haaland was at the restaurant to campaign for the Kamala Harris/Tim Walz ticket.

The two-day campaign kicked off with a canvass launch at the Arizona Democratic Coordinated Campaign’s field office in Flagstaff. Haaland then traveled to Tuba City for a “Veterans for Harris” lunch, where she spoke about the challenges facing veterans, servicemembers, and their families in the upcoming election. The following day, Haaland hosted a “Veterans Memorial BBQ” in Window Rock, engaging with volunteers and supporters to galvanize efforts for the Harris-Walz ticket.

“We’ve traveled the last couple of days in Arizona just to fire people up,” Haaland told the Navajo Times in an interview. “There’s 43 days left before election day, and I wanted to thank volunteers and organizers for their hard work, but also get people enthused about the work ahead.”

A major focus of Haaland’s visit was the Native American vote. “Indian Country is important to this campaign,” she said. Haaland has long been a champion of increasing Native voter turnout, working in New Mexico and across the country to ensure Indigenous voices are heard. “I always have felt that I wanted to ensure that I was helping to elect candidates who cared about our issues, and Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are those candidates,” she added.

Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, has made significant strides in supporting Native communities, including choosing Peggy Flanagan, the first Native American lieutenant governor in Minnesota, as his running mate. “Between him and her, they have worked very hard to raise up Indian Country and make sure that they have a voice,” said Haaland.

Veteran support was a recurring theme throughout the events, with Haaland emphasizing the importance of the Native veteran vote. “We know who respects veterans and appreciates their service – Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. He served in the National Guard,” she noted.

Haaland also addressed the potential impact of Project 2025, a Republican initiative she described as “harmful both to Native voters and to communities across the country.”

Navajo Times | Krista Allen
Vietnam-era veteran Leslie Dele from Tonalea-Red Lake, Ariz., speaks with the Honorable Deb Haaland on area veterans issues. Haaland was in Tuba City on Sunday, Sept. 22, to campaign for Kamala Harris/Tim Walz.

The Native vote proved pivotal in the 2020 election, with President Biden winning Arizona by just 10,000 votes – many of which came from Indian Country. “Our voice is important,” Haaland stressed. “We have opportunities to make our voices heard with candidates like Kamala Harris and Tim Walz who will listen.”

As the campaign moves forward, Haaland hopes to inspire continued enthusiasm and voter turnout among the Navajo Nation. “Everyone’s super excited about this election. They’re excited about electing Kamala Harris, and it’s been that way ever since I came to Arizona,” she said.

With the election just over a month away, Haaland’s visit aims to ensure that the Native vote remains a decisive factor in November.