Presidential candidates split on investments, housing
Special to the Times | Donovan Quintero
Navajo Nation presidential candidate Andrew Curley, left, talks with an attendee during Tónaneesdizí Local Government’s presidential forum June 16 in Tuba City.
SHIPROCK, FARMINGTON and TSAILE
Fifteen candidates for Navajo Nation president drew sharp differences over the Nation’s investments, housing, natural resources and water during three June forums.
The forums were held June 18 in Shiprock, June 19 in Farmington and June 30 in Tsaile. The Farmington forum, hosted by the Northern Agency Veterans Organization, centered on veterans issues. The Tsaile forum at Diné College centered on student questions.
At Shiprock, former Delegate Tom T. Chee said the Nation’s roughly $10 billion in investments should be used for public safety.
President Buu Nygren, who is seeking a second term, also called for drawing from the investments and proposed putting about a quarter of the money to work on the Navajo Nation.
“We got plenty of money,” Nygren said. “It’s about time we spend hundreds of millions of dollars so that we can build a real economy.”
Debbie Nez-Manuel opposed giving the Nygren Administration access to the investments and tied the issue to the court system.
To read the full article, please see the July 9, 2026, edition of the Navajo Times.
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