Learn more about Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District encompassing northeast Arizona, including Apache, Coconino, Gila, Navajo and Yavapai counties. The district is considered fairly conservative, but Democrat Jonathan Nez is challenging incumbent Republican Congressman Eli Crane.
Eli Crane
Party: Republican
Website: eliforarizona.com
Crane is the incumbent Republican Congressman representing Arizona’s 2nd district. He enlisted shortly after 9/11 and served as a Navy SEAL, and he is endorsed by former President Donald Trump. Both Crane and Trump claim, without evidence, that there was significant fraud in the 2020 election which Trump lost. Crane was first elected in 2022 after redistricting. He beat out former Democratic Congressman Tom O’Halleran.
In Congress, Crane opposed Kevin McCarthy’s leadership and worked to get him removed from his position as speaker of the House. In the wake of the assassination attempt on Trump, Crane has worked to investigate what happened.
Jonathan Nez
Party: Democrat
Website: jonathannezforaz.com
Nez, former president of the Navajo Nation, is challenging the incumbent Republican congressman in an area that leans conservative. Nez campaigned for reelection to the role of president of the Navajo Nation in 2022 against Buu Nygren and lost.
Some of the priorities Nez lists on his campaign website are protecting mail-in voting, combating inflation, reproductive rights and pushing back against drug and human trafficking. He states that he struggled with addiction when he was younger and wants to devote resources to fighting the opioid epidemic.
