One Diné celebrates Biden’s win

Posted by Donovan Quintero | Nov 7, 2020 | Election 2020 |

WINDOW ROCK

Terry Yazzie, 41, from Window Rock, wasted no time getting on his running shoes to celebrate the news he’s been waiting for since Tuesday night.

After four days of waiting for the vote tally, Yazzie heard the news Saturday morning that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and vice presidentialia candidate Kamala Harris had won the race.

“I am happy,” Yazzie said, a Democrat. “People are partying and cheering in all the big cities, so I said, ‘I might as well run with this down here.’”

Despite a windy morning with a fall drizzle, Yazzie grabbed the Navajo Nation flag and the Biden/Harris campaign flag and went running along State Highway 264.

President-elect Joe Biden issued a statement on Saturday following the news that he secured more than 270 electoral college votes.

“I am honored and humbled by the trust the American people have placed in me and Vice President-elect Harris,” Biden stated.

Biden said it was time to stop “the anger and harsh rhetoric” and come together “as a nation.”

President Donald Trump also issued a statement on Saturday but did not say he was conceding.

“Joe Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts, or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor,” Trump said, adding the election was “far from over.”

Yazzie said he hopes the new administration will put more focus on Indian Country, create better health care for the Navajos, and “bring back scholarships.”

And to the Navajos who supported Trump, he said, “When he was elected four years ago, they told us to ‘suck it up.’ So right back ’atcha. We dealt with four years of it, now they have to deal with it too.”

Yazzie said he may run again on Saturday evening to continue celebrating Biden’s and Harris’ win.