Nearly 70 Indigenous candidates to watch in August primaries - ICT
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Close to a dozen states with Indigenous candidates vying for public office in August #NativeVote26

Jourdan Bennett-Begaye
ICT

August is looking to be the last month of primary elections for Indigenous candidates before the general election in November and a special Oklahoma governor runoff election.

Voters will see a total of 69 Indigenous candidates, according to the ICT and Advance Native Political Leadership database, over the next few weeks in Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Washington state, Tennessee, Hawai’i, Minnesota, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Alaska, and Wyoming.

Three Native women will be leading the primary elections in August that the country will be watching: Sharice Davids, Peggy Flanagan, and Mary Peltola.

In Kansas, current Democratic Rep. Davids, Ho-Chunk, is running to keep her seat in congressional district 3. She has held that seat since 2019 as one of the first two Native American women in Congress.

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Flanagan, White Earth Nation and Democrat, races for the U.S. Senate seat in her state. Flanagan is currently the highest-ranking Native American woman elected to an executive office in the country.

Peltola, who is Yup’ik and a Democrat, is vying for a chance in the U.S. Senate. She was the first Alaska Native person to serve in Congress.

RELATED:
—Record number of Natives on Minnesota ballot
— Prediction market money lining up against Flanagan
—10 Indigenous candidates seek election to Washington’s state legislature
—Oklahoma governor’s race will see Republican runoff following primaries

On Aug. 25, there will be a runoff election for the Republican party in the Oklahoma governor’s race. The winner of the runoff election will head to the general election in November.

The primary dates for elections that ICT will be watching with Indigenous candidates are:

  • Aug. 4: Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Washington
  • Aug. 6: Tennessee
  • Aug. 8: Hawai’i
  • Aug. 11: Minnesota, Connecticut, Wisconsin
  • Aug. 18: Alaska, Wyoming

Below are the Indigenous candidates with August primaries, according to the ICT and Advance Native Political Leadership database. While there are more candidates in the database who ran in 2026 or who didn’t have a primary election, the 69 candidates only reflect those who will be on the August ballot.

Kansas

  • Sharice Davids, Democrat, U.S. House, District 3 — Ho-Chunk Nation

Michigan

  • Diop Harris, Democrat, U.S. House, District 4 — Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi
  • Sean McCann, Democrat, U.S. House, District 4 — Citizen Potawatomi Nation
  • Melissa Perron, Democrat, Michigan House of Representatives, District 107 — Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians

Missouri

  • Justice Horn, Democrat, Jackson County Legislature, District 1 At-Large — Blackfeet Nation

Washington state

  • Christopher “Chris” Roberts, Democrat, King County Assessor — Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
  • Patrick DePoe, Democrat, Washington House of Representatives, District 24-Position 2 — Makah Tribe
  • Debra Lekanoff, Democrat, Washington House of Representatives, District 40-Position 1 — Tlingit Tribe
  • Chandler Torbett, Democrat, Washington House of Representatives, District 45-Position 2 — Muscogee Nation and Choctaw
  • William Chichenoff, Washington House of Representatives, District 14-Position 1 — Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak
  • Chelsea Dimas, Democrat, Washington House of Representatives, District 14-Position 1 — Nahua and Purapecha
  • Kim Harless, Democrat, Washington House of Representatives, District 49-Position 1 — Ópata
  • Renee Hernandez Greenfield, Democrat, Washington House of Representatives, District 26-Position 2 — Cochiti, San Ildefonso and Taos Pueblos
  • Maria Littlesun, Democrat, Washington House of Representatives, District 35-Position 2 — Skokomish
  • Chris Stearns, Democrat, Washington House of Representatives, District 47-Position 2 — Navajo
  • Claudia Kauffman, Democrat, Washington State Senate, District 47 — Nez Perce Tribe

Tennessee

  • Bryan Terry, Republican, Tennessee House of Representatives, District 48 — Choctaw
  • Victoria “Tori” Smith, Nonpartisan, Hamilton County General Sessions Court — Poarch Band of Creek Indians

Hawai’i

  • Jarrett Keohokalole, Democrat, U.S. House, District 1 — Native Hawaiian
  • Brenton Awa, Republican, U.S. House, District 2 — Native Hawaiian
  • John Waihee IV, Nonpartisan, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, At Large — Native Hawaiian
  • Keoni Souza, Nonpartisan, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, At Large — Native Hawaiian
  • R. Kunani Nihipali, Nonpartisan, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, At Large — Kanaka Maoli
  • Brendon Kalei’aina Lee, Nonpartisan, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, At Large — Native Hawaiian
  • Kanekoa Crabbe, Nonpartisan, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, At Large — Native Hawaiian
  • Carol Lee Kamekona, Nonpartisan, Maui County Council, Kahului — Native Hawaiian
  • Tommy Waters, Nonpartisan, Honolulu City Council, District 4 — Native Hawaiian
  • Mahina Poepoe, Democrat, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 13 — Native Hawaiian
  • Keoni Kuoha, Democrat, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 12 — Native Hawaiian
  • Darius Kila, Democrat, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 44 — Native Hawaiian
  • Pa’ele Kiakona, Green, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 14 — Native Hawaiian
  • Kuulei Keawekane, Democrat, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 3 — Native Hawaiian
  • Kekoa Kealoha, Democrat, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 30 — Native Hawaiian
  • Jeanne Kapela, Democrat, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 5 — Native Hawaiian
  • Kalehua Kaopua, Democrat, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 45 — Kanaka ʻŌiwi
  • Wayne Kaiwi, Republican, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 39 — Native Hawaiian
  • Ki’i Kaho’ohanohano, Democrat, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 10 — Native Hawaiian
  • Michael Kahikina, Democrat, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 44 — Native Hawaiian
  • Kirstin Kahaloa, Democrat, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 6 — Native Hawaiian
  • Micah Po’okela Kim Aiu, Democrat, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 32 — Native Hawaiian
  • Holeka Goro Inaba, Nonpartisan, Hawaii County Council, District 8 (N. Kona) — Native Hawaiian
  • Zed Kaapana Aki, Nonpartisan, Hawaii County Council, District 6 — Kanaka Maoli
  • NOVEMBER BALLOT: Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, Nonpartisan, Maui County Council, Molokai — Native Hawaiian
  • NOVEMBER BALLOT: Claire Kamalu Carroll, Nonpartisan, Maui County Council, East Maui — Native Hawaiian
  • NOVEMBER BALLOT: Kalei Akaka, Nonpartisan, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Oahu Resident — Native Hawaiian
  • NOVEMBER BALLOT: Ke’eaumoku Kapu, Nonpartisan, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Maui Resident -— Native Hawaiian
  • NOVEMBER BALLOT: Shane Sinenci, Nonpartisan, Maui County Council, East Maui — Native Hawaiian
  • NOVEMBER BALLOT: Carmen Hulu Lindsey, Nonpartisan, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Maui Resident -— Native Hawaiian
  • WITHDREW: Joe Akana, Nonpartisan, Lieutenant Governor of Hawai’i — Native Hawaiian
  • WITHDREW: Joe Akana, Nonpartisan, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, At Large — Native Hawaiian

Minnesota

  • Peggy Flanagan, Democrat, U.S. Senate — White Earth Nation
  • Audrey Thayer, Nonpartisan, Bemidji City Council, At-Large — White Earth Nation
  • Geri Lopez, Nonpartisan, Mahnomen County Commission, District 39 — White Earth Nation
  • Sheila Lamb, Nonpartisan, Mayor of Cloquet — Fond Du Lac Ojibwe & Cherokee
  • Jeannice Reding, Nonpartisan, Minnesota Fourth Judicial District Court, Position 57 — Stockbridge-Munsee
  • Alicia “Liish” Kozlowski, Democrat, Minnesota House of Representatives, District 8B — Grand Portage, Fond Du Lac Bands of Ojibwe, and Mexicana
  • Mary Kunesh, Democrat, Minnesota State Senate, District 39 — Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
  • Steve Green, Republican, Minnesota State Senate, District 2 — White Earth Nation
  • Chris Jourdain, Nonpartisan, Red Lake Schools School Board, At-Large — Red Lake Nation
  • Deanna Lasley, Nonpartisan, Red Lake Schools School Board, At-Large — Red Lake Nation
  • Nicole Desjarlait, Nonpartisan, Red Lake Schools School Board, At-Large — Red Lake Nation
  • NOVEMBER BALLOT: Shelley Buck, Democrat, Minnesota House of Representatives, District 47A — Prairie Island Indian Community
  • WITHDREW: Heather Keeler, Democrat, U.S. House of Representatives, District 7 — Yankton Sioux Tribe

Connecticut

  • WON: Larry Pemberton Jr., Democrat, Connecticut House of Representatives, District 139 — Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation

Wisconsin

  • WITHDREW: Rodney Rave, Democrat, U.S. House, District 3 — Ho-Chunk Nation

Alaska

  • Mary Peltola, Democrat, U.S. Senate — Yup’ik
  • Bill Hill, Nonpartisan, U.S. House, AK At Large — Dena’ina Athabascan
  • Christopher Steere, Nonpartisan, Lieutenant Governor of Alaska — Iñupiaq
  • Greta Schuerch, Republican, Lieutenant Governor of Alaska — Iñupiaq
  • Meda DeWitt, Independent, Governor of Alaska — Tlingit
  • Wayne Morgan, Independent, Alaska State Senate, District S — Aniak Traditional Council
  • Bryce Edgmon, Independent, Alaska State Senate, District S — Yup’ik
  • Darren Deacon, Republican, Alaska State Senate, District S — Native Village of Kalskag
  • Dennis Robinson, Democrat, Alaska House of Representatives, District 37 — Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska
  • Reynold Okitkun, Independent, Alaska House of Representatives, District 39 — Village of Kotlik
  • Nellie “Unangiq” Jimmie, Democrat, Alaska House of Representatives, District 38 — Yup’ik
  • Robyn Frier, Democrat, Alaska House of Representatives, District 38 — Iñupiat
  • Neal Foster, Democrat, Alaska House of Representatives, District 39 — Iñupiat
  • Maxine Dibert, Democrat, Alaska House of Representatives, District 31 — Koyukon Athabascan
  • Saima Chase, Democrat, Alaska House of Representatives, District 40 — Iñupiat

Wyoming

  • Ivan Posey, Democrat, Wyoming House of Representatives, District 33 — Eastern Shoshone, Northern Cheyenne and Northern Arapaho tribes

Stay updated at ictnews.org for updates on these candidates and the midterm elections.

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