Navajo Nation Elects First Woman President
Crystalyne Curley won election as the first woman president of the Navajo Nation on Tuesday, according to election results reported by The Associated Press.
Curley surpassed a childhood ambition sparked during a third-grade field trip, defeating attorney Justin Jones in the race to lead the largest federally recognized tribe by land base.
The modern, centralized Navajo government has been led by men since its establishment over a century ago under federal pressure. Curley stated during her campaign that she faced sexist rhetoric and expects to be held to a higher standard as the tribe’s first woman president.
As women, we have to work twice or triple as hard, especially within Navajo politics,
Curley told The Associated Press. Previously, Curley served as the first female speaker of the tribal council’s legislative branch.
Historic Wins Across Tribal, State, and Federal Offices
Tuesday’s elections brought a broader wave of milestone victories for Native American women across the United States. In Minnesota, Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan became the first Native American woman elected to the U.S. Senate, CBS News reported. Flanagan, an enrolled member of the White Earth Nation, defeated Republican Michele Tafoya.
In New Mexico, former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland was elected governor, breaking another barrier as the first Native American woman to lead a U.S. state, according to CBS News. Haaland, a Laguna Pueblo citizen, previously served in Congress and as U.S. Interior Secretary under President Joe Biden.
This is a win that shows we can break every single glass ceiling,
said Jordan James Harvill, a Cherokee Nation citizen and strategist with Advance Native Political Leadership, as reported by The Associated Press. In western New York, the Seneca Nation of Indians also elected its first woman president, longtime council member Tina Abrams.
Flanagan Emphasizes Support from Native Women
Following her victory celebration in St. Paul, Minnesota, Flanagan emphasized the collective support of her community. I could not run for the U.S. Senate without Native women. I could not exist in the way that I do without Native women,
Flanagan said, according to The Associated Press.
More than 230 years after the establishment of the U.S. Senate, only four Native people have served in the chamber, all of them men. Flanagan will join Oklahoma Republican Sen. Tom Cole, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation.
In the Navajo Nation, Curley and running mate Chris Deschene plan to take office in January. Their administration intends to transition the tribe away from coal development—historically a major economic engine—and reassert its leading role in federal Indian policy, The Associated Press reported.
Commonly Asked Questions About the 2026 Midterm Results
How many Native American women have served in the U.S. Senate prior to these elections?
Prior to Peggy Flanagan’s election in Minnesota, exactly zero Native American women had served in the U.S. Senate. Across the 230-year history of the chamber, only four Native people have held seats, all of whom were men, according to data reported by The Associated Press.
What geographic area does the Navajo Nation cover?
The Navajo Nation spans 27,000 square miles across Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It maintains the largest land base of any federally recognized tribe in the United States, as detailed by The Associated Press.
What specific executive offices did Deb Haaland and Peggy Flanagan win?
Deb Haaland won the gubernatorial race in New Mexico against Republican Gregg Hull, making her the first female Native American governor of a U.S. state. Peggy Flanagan won election to the U.S. Senate in Minnesota, defeating Republican Michele Tafoya, as reported by CBS News.
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