Amelia Schafer
ICT
Tuesday’s primary elections in four states resulted in significant wins for Indigenous candidates.
Of the five Indigenous candidates on ballots in Kansas, Michigan and Missouri, three candidates won their primaries Tuesday and two lost.
Sean McCann, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, won in the Democratic primary for Michigan’s Fourth Congressional District. McCann faced another Potawatomi, Diop Harris of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi.
The Associated Press called the race with 34 percent of votes tallied. McCann earned 63.6 percent of the votes tallied, with Harris garnering 36.4 percent.
Sean McCann, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, will face another Potawatomi tribal member in the Michigan democratic primary for Congressional District 4 on Aug 4. Credit: Courtesy of Sean McCann campaign
“Our win tonight is thanks to every volunteer, supporter, and Michigan voter who put their trust in our campaign to bring change to Washington,” McCann said in a statement. “From the beginning, this campaign has been about standing up for working families and fighting back against corporate special interests and politicians getting rich while leaving our families behind. Every day between now and November 3rd, I’ll keep working to win every vote – to unite Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who believe Southwest Michigan deserves better than Bill Huizenga, who doesn’t work for us because he’s working for himself.”
McCann faces incumbent Bill Huizenga in the general election this fall.
Michigan
Melissa Perron, Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, won the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives in District 107. Perron defeated Brendan Ryan and will face incumbent Republican Parker Fairbairn in the general election this fall.
Missouri
In Missouri, Justice Horn, a citizen of the Blackfeet Nation, lost the Democratic primary for the District 1 At-Large seat in the Jackson County Legislature. Horn lost to Carla Fields who tallied 49 percent of the votes. Fields also defeated incumbent Jalen Anderson who finished with 27 percent of the vote. Horn garnered 23 percent of the vote.
Horn’s campaign received key endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vermont, and Advance Native Political Leadership.
Kansas
In Kansas, Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin tribal member Sharice Davids wonthe Democratic primary for Kansas’s Third Congressional District. Davids was first elected in 2019, meaning that, if re-elected, this will be her fifth term in congress.
We’re just getting started, and we need everyone on board to keep Kansas moving forward!
Get involved today ➡️ https://t.co/oMVW2p70ZB pic.twitter.com/oioxEZBwgr
— Sharice Davids (@sharicedavids) August 5, 2026
ICT was on the ground covering the election.
Washington
Washington’s primary results will not be finalized until days after the election. Approximately 12 Indigenous candidates are running in Washington.
- Jennifer White, Makah Tribe, running for Clallam County Treasurer
- Christopher “Chris” Roberts, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, running for King County Assessor
- Patrick DePoe, Makah Tribe, running for Washington House of Representatives, District 24 Position 2
- Debra Lekanoff, Tlingit Tribe, running for Washington House of Representatives, District 40 Position 1
- Chandler Torbett, Muscogee Nation, running for Washington House of Representatives, District 45 Position 2
- William Chichenoff, Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak, running for Washington House of Representatives, District 14 Position 1
- Chelsea Dimas, Nahua, running for Washington House of Representatives, District 14 Position 1
- Kim Harless, Ópata, running for Washington House of Representatives, District 49 Position 1
- Renee Hernandez Greenfield, Cochiti Pueblo, running for Washington State House of Representatives, District 26 Position 2
- Maria Littlesun, Skokomish, running for Washington House of Representatives, District 35 Position 2
- Chris Stearns, Navajo Nation, running for Washington State House of Representatives, District 47 Position 2
- Claudia Kauffman, Nez Perce Tribe, running for Washington State Senate, District 47
The post Natives notch wins in Tuesday primaries appeared first on ICT.
From ICT via This RSS Feed.