Peshlakai edges out Begay; Wauneka exchanges tribe for county

It looks like former Arizona state legislator Jamescita Peshlakai will have another run at the statehouse, Navajo Nation Elections Administration Director Edison Wauneka will trade in his tribal job for Apache County Recorder, and a Navajo Nation Council delegate has defeated a popular five-term incumbent for Apache County Supervisor in District 2.

With 97 percent of precincts reporting Wednesday morning, Peshlakai, veterans’ liaison for President Russell Begaye, had a narrow but decisive lead over businessman Steven Begay, 10,451 to 9,150, in the Democratic primary for state senate Dist. 7.

At this point, all election results are unofficial.

“I’m still trying to absorb what occurred,” a tired Peshlakai said in a phone interview Wednesday morning. “Of course it’s very humbling and I feel really grateful, and that doesn’t begin to describe all the different emotions I’m feeling.”

Peshlakai countered Begay’s accusation that she used her high-level cabinet post as a campaign pulpit, getting such notables as former President Peterson Zan and Vice President Jonathan Nez to endorse her.

“I never once mentioned my senate campaign in a veterans’ meeting or chapter meeting or any other meeting I was in for my job,” Peshlakai declared. “I’m a very ethical person, and I know where to draw the line.”

Begay, on the other hand, accepted dark money, Peshlakai charged.

“In the last two weeks of his campaign, he got $37,000 from an anonymous source,” she said. “The fundraising I did in nine months, he doubled in two weeks …

“Two weeks ago, no one had heard of this guy, and almost half the district voted for him. I think it’s a perfect example of how dark money can impact a rural district.”

Begay denied taking any dark money. “We did get the endorsement of the American Federation for Children after I filled out their questionnaire,” he said. “They spend their money however they wanted. I have no influence over them.”

Begay thanked all the people who worked on his campaign and the voters of Apache County, where he got a majority.

“I feel a sense of relief,” he said. “Although I wasn’t elected, public service is always ongoing. There is always advocacy work, coalition work; it doesn’t end here.”

In another close primary race, another tribal employee, Wauneka, bested Larry Noble for Apache County Recorder with just over 51 percent of the vote. Wauneka has no Republican opponent, and unless someone launches a successful write-in campaign, will trade his tribal hat for the county job in January.

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