Democrat and former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez interviewed with the Clean Elections Commission on Thursday in what had been slated as a debate for candidates of Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District.
Incumbent Republican Congressman Eli Crane declined to participate.
Nez attempted to appeal to the center and accused Crane of being part of the dysfunction in Washington. He cited the vote to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his post last year.
"Coming to the brink of a government shutdown. And just an extreme group of representatives that are making it very difficult for this Congress to function," Nez said.
If elected, Nez said he would be the first Native American to represent Arizona in Congress.
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