Navajo Nation Election 2026: Who Will Actually Fix the Nation?

Added: 2026-05-09

[00:00:00][music] >> All right, all right, all right. What's going on out there, TikTok? So, there are a number of things going on in and around the Navajo Nation, and one of those things is that we are in the middle of the Navajo Nation presidential election.

[00:00:29]Oh, man, I've been trying to avoid doing a a podcast on this or doing any type of analysis on this.

[00:00:38]If you ask me, when you look at the Navajo Nation and its political environment, especially through the lens of political science, it gets very muddy.

[00:00:50]And that's one of the things that uh I've really been trying to avoid.

[00:00:57]But, the number of people that are asking me to do something on the Navajo Nation presidential presidential election is a lot.

[00:01:08]All right, so [music] here I am. I'm going to give it a shot.

[00:01:12]I'm going to try it. I'm going to try it right here.

[00:01:15]I'm going to try to apply political science to the Navajo Nation politics.

[00:01:25]>> [gasps] >> All right, man. So, if you were a following Navajo Nation politics, we have 16 candidates.

[00:01:33]16 Navajo candidates that are willing to take on the burden of Navajo Nation president.

[00:01:46]And uh believe me, it is a burden, and I've outlined that before. I've I've outlined it before in my other polit- uh in my other posts.

[00:02:00]Because I believe that uh if you become successful outside of the reservation, and you decide, "You know what? I'm going to go back, and I'm going to I'm going to take it back to my people." You want to do that. That's where you can destroy yourself.

[00:02:18]You can destroy everything that you've worked for by trying to bring it to the Navajo Nation.

[00:02:24]So, I I I do believe that it is a burden.

[00:02:29]So, here we go. We have 16 Navajo candidates.

[00:02:35]So, let's go through the list here.

[00:02:38]Justin Jones, Rock Point.

[00:02:41]Kevin L. Cody, Pinon. Crystalin Curley, Crystalin Curley from Tselani, Cottonwood.

[00:02:56]>> [laughter and gasps] >> I kind of think she's going to be the favorite.

[00:02:59]Uh Dr. Jordan Begay, Tonaalea, [music] I guess. Elvin Trujillo, which I'm not going to try to sound that uh town [music] out because we all know that the amount the Navajo Nation pronunciation or Navajo pronunciation can get muddled, so I'm not even going to try. We got Debbie Nez Manuel, Clay Begay, Tohlakai, Tom Chief, Shiprock, Frank Dayish Jr., Chichiltah.

[00:03:31]Donovan Begay, Horfano.

[00:03:34]Buu Nighthorse, Red Mesa.

[00:03:38]Alexander Chambers, Shiprock, Emily Ellison, Chichiltah. Oh, dang, we got two of them from over there.

[00:03:46]Uh Johnny Russell Jr., Na'iizi, Larry Noble, Steamboat, Myron Lizer, St. Michael, St. Monkeys, Andrew Curley, Halc.

[00:04:00]So, we got 16, man.

[00:04:03]16, and that is a great indicator.

[00:04:07]That is a great indication of the condition of the Navajo Nation.

[00:04:12]When you have that many candidates, we must really be in a dire situation. That's what it signals to me is because we have that many people that think they can turn this ship around.

[00:04:26]>> [music] >> But, um let's let's see.

[00:04:31]All right? Cuz [music] 16 people that think they can bring us to the light, the question becomes what is the light?

[00:04:40]And to me, the light is to simply bring [music] the Navajo Nation up to speed with the rest of the United States.

[00:04:50]And the question becomes after that, how do we do that? How do we achieve that?

[00:04:56]And the answer is, we must go back, way back.

[00:05:01]Back into time.

[00:05:04]And I say back into time because I had to go digging around in my political science notes, my political science uh textbook, and found and I remember those that there were three things that every uh prosperous, successful [music] nation needs, and those three things are going to be a functional governance, economic engine, and infrastructure.

[00:05:31]And I boiled those three things down [music] to two things.

[00:05:36]Actually, 1A, 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, and 2. So, let's go over those. All right? We need to move from a grant economy to a production economy.

[00:05:48]It's just that simple.

[00:05:50]What that entails is that we need a land and legal structure.

[00:05:55]This would allow us to be able to use our land to generate [music] income.

[00:06:02]B, that was 1A and we are moving on to 1B. We need workforce development.

[00:06:09]And it needs to be focused on keeping money on the Navajo Nation.

[00:06:16]We need trade programs, business training, local hiring, pipelines to projects that would ultimately lead to self-sufficiency so we can get off the government tit.

[00:06:29][music] And imagine if the Navajo Nation got their together and the money that we received from the United States becomes passive [music] income.

[00:06:45]Imagine.

[00:06:48]And C, 1C, [music] capital access.

[00:06:52]We need a Navajo Nation banking system which coincides with ways to keep money here on the Navajo res.

[00:07:01]And uh when we learn to do that, when we figure that out, we will be able to facilitate economic growth and entrepreneurship.

[00:07:12]Yeah.

[00:07:13]And we'll move on to number two.

[00:07:15]>> [music] >> We need a more efficient and predictable government.

[00:07:20]Right now our government is, for lack of a better word, unstable.

[00:07:26]If we were to look at the Navajo Nation like a business, we would not be able to get any investors.

[00:07:35]We are just too unstable.

[00:07:39]And nobody would have any any faith in us to operate.

[00:07:45]And uh so that leads us to this and I think the reasoning behind that is I think everyone in the position [music] that is below the Navajo Nation president has their duty twisted.

[00:08:00]Why do I think that?

[00:08:02]Because we're asking the wrong question.

[00:08:05]Every time we go and have an election for the Navajo Nation president, the question is >> [music] >> "Can the Navajo Nation president work with the council?" And it's not supposed to be like that.

[00:08:16]The question is supposed to be can the council work with the Navajo Nation president?

[00:08:23]Because the reality is that we elect a leader.

[00:08:28]And everyone that falls below that leader is supposed to work [music] with the leader.

[00:08:35]Right? Yes, I understand that there are rules and regulations and laws and >> [music] >> they are supposed to ensure that they that those laws, rules, and regulations are followed, but their job is not just say no.

[00:08:52]Their job is to say no, but then also ask how.

[00:08:58]Their job is to say no, ask how, and then figure out how.

[00:09:05]And that's how it's supposed to be.

[00:09:08]So these three things, >> [music] >> functional government, economic engine infrastructure, they lead to these two other things.

[00:09:19]Grant economy to production economy and a functional predictable government.

[00:09:27]And that ultimately is what any nation needs to be props prosperous and functional.

[00:09:34]So now that we have defined our standards, what candidates are best suited suited >> [music] >> to give us the possibility of achieving these three things?

[00:09:52]All right, so right off the bat, 12 candidates are eliminated.

[00:09:59]>> [laughter] >> Why? Because they do not have published platforms yet.

[00:10:05]We don't know enough about them.

[00:10:07]>> [music] >> That leaves four. Those four are going to be Boo Nygrin, Crystalin Curley, >> [music] >> Frank Dailey Jr. Jr., and Myron Laser.

[00:10:21]So, let's look at their platforms.

[00:10:25]All right, we got Boo Nygrin. He is the incumbent, the man with the puncher's chance. [music] You cannot deny that the incumbent does not have a [music] puncher's chance because the incumbent always has a puncher's chance.

[00:10:41]And there is always people out there that say, "Why not just give him another four years? Maybe he'll figure it out and finish what he started.

[00:10:51]It's just another four years."

[00:10:54]And that statement there alone is indicative of how inconsequential the office of the president is right now.

[00:11:05]>> [gasps] >> All right, so back to the lecture at hand. All right.

[00:11:11]Boo Nygrin's platform, economic development, infrastructure, water, roads, and broadband, and uh e-government efficiency, faster ex- execution.

[00:11:25]All right.

[00:11:26]Uh his strengths [music] are and keep in mind here that I'm not going to read directly from their platforms.

[00:11:34]I'm just taking the ideas here because we don't want to be here all day.

[00:11:38]All right. Platform, economic development, infrastructure, and government efficiency. His strengths are that he is the incumbent. He already has the job.

[00:11:47]>> [music] >> All right. And usually people are more likely to be like, "Just give him 4 more years. Maybe he'll figure it out."

[00:11:54]And uh another strength of his is he is business-minded [music] and he pro- he approaches everything like that. And uh he's very focused on tangible product uh projects.

[00:12:06]And when you look at the things that he was trying to accomplish, they are pretty tangible.

[00:12:10]The only thing is that he is in huge conflict with the with the council and he's [music] entangled in this VP thing. He's just not able to accomplish anything.

[00:12:21]And uh it's not like he's got these high aspirations. These are quite tangible projects.

[00:12:30]His weaknesses, however, are of course the conflict with the Navajo Nation [music] Council.

[00:12:36]And uh because of that, he does have a polarizing leadership style. And that is going to look uh negative on him in this upcoming election. And honestly, because things have been very slow in coming, there are areas on the Navajo Nation that are going to be feeling [music] like, "We don't feel the results yet."

[00:12:56]So, yeah. Those are the weaknesses. And his core, if you look at it, is that uh he's looked at as a builder, a get-it-done candidate. If >> [music] >> the council and this other that he's involved with would allow him to.

[00:13:14]>> [laughter] >> That's what he's looked at as.

[00:13:17]All right. So, next contestant, Crystal L. Curley. All right. And I do think she's going to be the favorite.

[00:13:24]Her platform, unity and collaboration, water access, >> [music] >> environmental cleanup, which focuses on uranium, and voting rights because she opposed the voter ID, the Trump's baby, which is the Save America Act. She does [music] oppose that. And from her platform, she checks off all the liberal things that, you know, attracts liberal voters. And we all know that the Navajo Nation is a stronghold for the liberal voter.

[00:13:59]All right, her strengths are she has [music] deep government experience, strong relationships [music] across other leadership positions, and she [music] appeals to the unity voters, those Navajos that think, "We all need to be together." You know. Yeah, so she appeals to that group, [music] that demographic. Her weakness are Her weaknesses are she is seen as the establishment because she does have that deep government experience, which signals that because she is so deeply within the establishment, she's less willing to change [music] it.

[00:14:39]And she's less economic and business-minded.

[00:14:42]Uh and uh you know, she [music] And because she does have that deep uh government experience, she can be associated with uh the current government gridlock.

[00:14:55]And her core is she is the She will be seen as the great unifier, steady leadership.

[00:15:03]And uh she's going to be that kind of candidate.

[00:15:05]Frank Davis Jr.

[00:15:07]His platform.

[00:15:09]Law and order, traditional leadership, government accountability.

[00:15:15]His strengths.

[00:15:16]Legal and executive experience because we all know Frank Davis Jr. and his history.

[00:15:23]We know that he is presented as strong and and has a consistent identity, which is in the realm of traditionalism.

[00:15:32]And because of that, he is going to garner a loyal base with [music] the traditionalist. So, they will favor uh Frank Davis Jr.

[00:15:41]Um his weaknesses are, you know, because he is comes off as very structured, [music] his leadership style is going to be very polarizing as well.

[00:15:50]Um which is also going to limit his broader appeal. [music] Uh because of his uh strict adherence to to traditional values, >> [music] >> he's really going to eliminate the the modernist vote.

[00:16:06]>> [music] >> And we all know that he has run before and he didn't win.

[00:16:10]And he's going to be viewed as the strong [music] authoritarian traditional leadership candidate.

[00:16:16]And >> [music] >> people are going to see him as the structured person.

[00:16:21]Right? The unyielding [music] type person.

[00:16:24]Last but not least, Myron Lizer. His platform is economic [music] independence, private sector growth, and reduced federal dependence. And that is what I've been crying [music] and yelling and projecting out into the world for the last couple of years as we need to [music] uh become dependent or independent.

[00:16:47]All right. And his strengths [music] are executive executive experience cuz we all know that he was a vice president [music] as well.

[00:16:55]Uh he has a clear economic message.

[00:16:59]Economic independence, that is the message there.

[00:17:02]And uh he is uh his strengths are he has a strong ideological [music] base because we all know he has labeled himself as conservative.

[00:17:13]>> [music] >> And he has not tried to hide the fact that he is a big Trump supporter.

[00:17:20]So, you got to be strong [music] to be able to put that stuff out there and be Navajo. [music] Yeah, so that he does have a strong ideological base. His weaknesses are because of that ideological base, >> [music] >> you know, it does polarize it does polarize in the political environment.

[00:17:43]>> [music] >> So, that's going to be one of the weaknesses. And because of his economic views, he is going to compete directly with Buu Nygren.

[00:17:52]And because people have a bad taste in their mouth >> [music] >> from Buu, they are probably going to roll that over to Myron as well because their economic [music] views are quite similar.

[00:18:04]And because of that, it's going to be harder for him to build a broader [music] coalition.

[00:18:09]And he's going to be viewed as the economic independence pro-business [music] candidate.

[00:18:15]So, which of these four candidates is going to be the one to deliver us from our woeful state?

[00:18:22]Remember, we are trying [music] to accomplish three things that a prosperous nation requires to be fruitful.

[00:18:31]And those three things again are going to be a functional government, an economic engine, and infrastructure.

[00:18:42]So, let's >> [music] >> let's walk this path.

[00:18:45]>> [laughter] >> Walk this path with me.

[00:18:48]Buu Nygren, >> [music] >> I just don't think he can do it.

[00:18:52]I think his reputation is such that >> [music] >> it is beyond repair.

[00:18:58]And it is in such a negative state that it >> [music] >> it is going to work to not get him reelected.

[00:19:07]I mean, he does have some good ideas, but this conflict with the vice president, [music] the council, I don't think it lands him a a second term.

[00:19:16]>> [music] >> So, you know, that's it's pretty simple for for Buu. I don't think he's going to make it. So, on to the next, Crystalyn [music] Curley.

[00:19:27]The great unifier. The woman that openly opposes Trump and his voter ID.

[00:19:35]I think with the Navajo Nation being the liberal stronghold that it is, I think she has a chance.

[00:19:45]But, is she going to be able to give the Navajo Nation those three things?

[00:19:50]>> [music] >> No.

[00:19:53]I don't think so.

[00:19:55]I think there is a possibility that she could be Navajo president, but I think she I think because she is so deep within the established government, >> [music] >> it make it gives her a low likelihood of being able to change or wanting to change the establishment.

[00:20:17]Yeah.

[00:20:18]And it you know, just a low likely of a likelihood of her achieving achieving those three things, the functional government, economic engine, and infrastructure.

[00:20:29][music] So, bottom line, could she become president? Yes.

[00:20:35]Could she give us [music] the three things we need to be prosperous?

[00:20:38]No. I don't think so.

[00:20:41]That brings us to Frank Daish Jr.

[00:20:45]The structured traditionalist leader.

[00:20:49]I think because of his structured and seemingly unyielding leadership style, I think he will run into the same obstacles as Buu.

[00:21:02]I think he's going to have a hard time.

[00:21:04]I think he appeals to traditionalists and I I just don't think that's enough.

[00:21:10]I don't. I think the Navajo people are starting to realize that we need tools in the modern age that culture and religion are just unable to handle. They're just ill-equipped to handle.

[00:21:26]If you ask me, I think we have a lot of highly educated people, but they're being bridled by culture.

[00:21:35]I think as slowly as it's coming, [music] we as a people are starting to realize that religion and culture need to be individual choices, and they need to be kept out of the government processes.

[00:21:50]And uh you may have some opposition and opinions about that, but I think that's slowly coming to >> [music] >> fruition. Um I've been paying attention to Navajo politics as uh muddy as it is since I was little.

[00:22:05]And it has really moved away uh as slowly from being traditionalist to more of a modernist approach.

[00:22:16]So, what are we doing next? Oh, I almost forgot. I almost forgot Myron Lizer.

[00:22:25]Myron Lizer!

[00:22:29]The conservative, the champion of economic independence.

[00:22:34]The man that openly supports Donald Trump, and we all know NavCon loves him some Trump.

[00:22:43]So, so I like this guy right off the bat.

[00:22:46]I'm not going to hide it from you.

[00:22:48]I'm saying these three things. I'm saying that he's conservative, and he's a champion of economic independence, and that he's an and he and that he's a Donald Trump supporter. I'm saying those three things because those three things are going to be used against him.

[00:23:08]>> [music] >> I honestly think that they're going to be used against him and we are going to watch this happen in real time.

[00:23:17]But I'm saying them like they're good things.

[00:23:21]These are good things. Out of all the candidates, I think he has the best chance in making progress in the big three.

[00:23:34]I think he's got the best chance.

[00:23:36]>> [music] >> That's my opinion right there.

[00:23:39]With that said, I'm going to be brutally honest here.

[00:23:47]Our system is broken.

[00:23:51]And I don't think it matters who the Navajo Nation president is.

[00:23:57]Our system is one where laws, rules, and regulations are such that they contradict each other.

[00:24:07]They overlap each other.

[00:24:11]And they are so vague that it leaves them up to interpretation.

[00:24:20]And I say it again, if the Navajo Nation was a business, the Navajo Nation would not get investors. We are too unstable.

[00:24:32]And we have candidates out there saying that they're going to fix it.

[00:24:37]And I don't believe they can because it's like trying to work on your vehicle while still cruising down the road.

[00:24:48]At some point, we're just going to have to stop everything, rip out the engine, and overhaul this And that's And that's how the cookie crumbles.

[00:25:08]So, I know there's going to be a lot of you guys out there that have opinions on this.

[00:25:14]And I'm interested in them.

[00:25:17]So, I want to hear what you think. I want to hear your questions.

[00:25:22]Uh as much as this just seems like it's just another Navajo election, Navajo Nation presidential election, it is pretty important.

[00:25:35]Because we as a Navajo Nation right now, we are being left in the dust.

[00:25:42]And uh we need to figure out a way to unfuck this situation.

[00:25:49]>> [music] >> So, yes, I am interested in what you think. I'm interested [music] in your questions.

[00:26:01]Because they present me with alternate perspectives.

[00:26:10]So, I urge you to get in the comment section.

[00:26:15]Express your opinion. Ask your question.

[00:26:20]Uh I do believe by you doing that, you will also enlighten and bring to light how important this election is to our people.

[00:26:35]All right, guys. With that said, I am Navajo Patriot and I am out. Peace.

[00:26:44]>> [music]