Nez makes Iran war, rising costs central in rematch with Crane
WINDOW ROCK
Former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez is making rising prices and the U.S. war with Iran central to his rematch with U.S. Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., as his campaign points to an internal poll showing Crane two points ahead.
“There’s a lot of momentum,” Nez said in a phone interview. “We are two points behind Crane, but within the margin of error.”
Nez, a Democrat, was citing a GBAO poll of 500 likely voters conducted Aug. 21-24 for his campaign. It showed Crane with 46%, Nez with 44% and 10% undecided. The margin of error was 4.4 percentage points.
A Crane campaign internal poll conducted by Peak Insights Aug. 17-20 among 400 likely voters produced a different result, showing Crane with 53% and Nez with 42%. The remaining 5% were listed in other responses. The margin of error was 5 percentage points.
Neither poll result included Libertarian nominee Curtis Goodwin in the reported ballot test.
Republicans hold a registration advantage in the 2nd Congressional District. July figures show nearly 40% of registered voters are Republicans, 27% are Democrats and about 30% are independents. Crane defeated Nez in 2024 with 221,413 votes to Nez’s 184,963, or about 54.5% to 45.5%.
To read the full article, please see the Sept. 24, 2026, edition of the Navajo Times.
Get instant access to this story by purchasing one of our many e-edition subscriptions HERE at our Navajo Times Store.
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow