Native candidates notch significant victories in state legislature elections - ICT
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Vermont sees likely first elected Native American legislator

Amelia Schafer
ICT

Results are trickling nationwide where Indigenous people are competing to join state legislatures in 24 different states, some of whom would be their state’s first ever Indigenous legislator.

As of Nov. 6 over 83 percent of Indigenous candidates in declared state legislature races have won.

Among the winners, history is already being made.

In Vermont, Alanna Ojibway, Sault St. Marie Band of Chippewa and descendant of the United Houma Nation, is believed to be the first-ever Indigenous person elected to the Vermont General Assembly.

A spokesperson for the Vermont General Assembly said the state does not collect race specific data on legislators, and was therefore unable to confirm if there have been any previous Indigenous legislators.

Ojibway won her race to represent Vermont Windsor 6 alongside competitor James Coleman – there were two open seats and only two candidates.

Races had been called for 86 of the 95 Indigenous people running for state legislature positions across 24 different states as of Nov. 6.

More than 100 Native candidates vying for statewide offices, state legislative seats

Of the 86 declared races, 67 have won, meaning there have only been 19  losses, including one candidate who withdrew from their race. Eight races in Alaska will remain undeclared until ranked-choice voting counts conclude on Nov. 18.

Nationwide, 95 Indigenous candidates were on the ballot for state legislature seats in 24 states. These 95 candidates represent over 122 different tribal nations and include 75 Democrats, 12 Republicans, seven Independents/nonpartisan candidates and one Green Party candidate.

Of the candidates, 53 were cisgender women, 38 were cisgender men and three identified as non-binary or Two-Spirit.

Native candidates saw significant wins in Montana, where 12 of the 13 candidates won their races. With two sitting Indigenous state legislators whose seats are not up for re-election, the state’s American Indian Caucus will have reached a record number of 14. The most in the group’s history.

Montana is the only state in the country to have the largest Native representation in its state legislature where it led to the creation of the American Indian Caucus.

In several states, all Indigenous candidates on the ballot won their legislature races: Arkansas, Connecticut, Maine, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oregon and Vermont.

Candidates appeared on ballots in Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawai`i, Iowa, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming.

Significant victories

Democrats made historic gains in the 2026 midterm elections, taking control of both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate by historic margins.

The blue wave also hit Indian Country, where 88 percent of the Indigenous state legislator-elects are Democrats (59 out of 67 total declared winners) – some of whom flipped historically held Republican seats themselves.

A majority of Indigenous state legislator candidates documented by ICT and Advance Native Political Leadership identified as Democrats in 2026: 75 of the 95 total candidates.

As of Friday afternoon, seven Republican Indigenous state legislature candidates in declared races had won – meaning just 10 percent of the Indigenous legislator-elects are Republican.

Of the 95 Indigenous state legislature candidates, only 12 identified as Republicans in 2026.

In Arkansas, Democrat Jacob Allen, Chickasaw Nation, defeated second term incumbent Republican Rep. Mindy McAlindon by just 197 votes, flipping the seat blue. Allen is the third Native American to be elected to the Arkansas state legislature and will be the only Native person currently serving in the state house.

Allen is one of 10 Democrats who flipped seats in the Arkansas legislature, helping the party end a long-standing Republican supermajority.

The wave hit Arizona, where five Indigenous Democrats secured seats in the state legislature, three of whom were incumbents. The party is poised to gain control of all chambers of the Arizona Legislature for the first time in 60 years.

In other states, like Connecticut and Tennessee, voters re-elected their first and only Indigenous legislators: Republican Rep. Bryan Terry of Tennessee who is Choctaw; and Connecticut Rep. Larry Pemberton Jr., Democrat and Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation, for a second term.

In Hawai`i, Pa’ele Kiakona, Native Hawaiian, is the first member of the Green Party elected to the Hawaii House of Representatives. Kiakona won his race for Hawaii House of Representatives for District 14.

Losses

Iowans had the chance to elect their first ever Indigenous legislator, but Jessica Lopez-Walker, Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and a Democrat, lost her race against incumbent Rep. Robert Henderson, Republican, by 386 votes.

In South Carolina, incumbent Rep. Fawn Pedalino, Republican, lost to Democrat Patricia Pringle by 144 votes, just 10 votes outside of the amount needed to trigger a recount in the race. Pedalino, the only Indigenous person currently serving in the South Carolina legislature, is a citizen of the Natchez-Kusso Tribe.

Indigenous candidates saw major losses in South Dakota, where only 3 of the 10 Native candidates won their elections. South Dakota’s District 27 Senate seat, which encompasses the Pine Ridge Reservation, is without Indigenous representation for the first time in at-least a decade, and has flipped to Republican control for the first time in over a decade.

Celestine Stadnick, Oglala Lakota, lost by just 235 votes to Republican candidate Anthony Kathol in the race to replace term limited Oglala Lakota Senator Red Dawn Foster, a Democrat.

Peri Pourier, Oglala Lakota, who ran as an Independent, gathered 1,013 votes, trailing behind Stadnick and Kathol. Pourier previously served as a state representative for District 27 where she notably switched from the Democratic Party to Republican.

Below is a list of the Indigenous candidates who ran for state legislatures.

This is a developing story. Come back to www.ictnews.org for updates.

Alaska

Only three races with Indigenous candidates on the ballot in Alaska have been declared, the rest are subject to ranked-choice vote recounts.

The State of Alaska utilizes ranked choice voting, meaning if no single candidate secures 50 percent plus one of the vote, more rounds of counting continue factoring in voters’ next choices. Results are available for races where one candidate secured over half of the vote.

Ranked choice results will be made available on Nov. 18, according to the Alaska Division of Elections.

  • LOST: Saima “Ikrik” Chase, Alaska House of Representatives, District 40 (D) – Iñupiat
  • WON: Maxine Dibert, Alaska House of Representatives, District 31, (D) – Koyukon Athabascan
  • WON: Robyn “Niayup” Frier, Alaska House of Representatives, District 40 (D) — Iñupiat

UNDECLARED/RANKED CHOICE COUNT:

  • Darren Deacon, Alaska State Senate, District S ® – Native Village of Kalskag

  • Byrce Edgmon, Alaska State Senate, District S (I) – Yup’ik

  • Neal “Quannaq” Foster, Alaska House of Representatives, District 39 (D) – Iñupiat

  • Tyler Ivanoff, Alaska House of Representatives, District 39 (Nonpartisan) – Iñupiat

  • Reynold “Papa Joe” Okitkun, Alaska House of Representatives, District 39 (Nonpartisan) – Village of Kotlik

  • Nellie “Unangiq” Jimmie, Alaska House of Representatives, District 38 (D) – Yup’ik, Ojibwa and Lakota

  • Brenda Wilson, Alaska House of Representatives, District 27 ®– Agdaagux Tribe of King Cove

  • Cade Woods, Alaska House of Representatives, District 37 (I) – Curyung Tribal Council Arkansas

  • WON: Jacob Allen, Arkansas House of Representatives, District 10 (D) – Chickasaw Nation Arizona

  • WON:  Brian Garcia, Arizona House of Representatives, District 8 (D) – Pascua Yaqui Tribe

  • WON: Sally Ann Gonzalez, Arizona House of Representatives, District 20 (D) – Pascua Yaqui Tribe

  • LOST: Mike Montiel, Arizona State Senate, District 7 (D) – Pascua Yaqui Tribe

  • WON: Mae Peshlakai, Arizona State Senate, District 6 (D) – Diné

  • WON: Jamescita Peshlakai, Arizona State Senate, District 6 (D) – Diné

  • WON: Ian Teller, Arizona House of Representatives, District 6 (D) – Navajo Nation California

  • WON: James Ramos, California State Assembly, District 45 (D) – Serrano & Cahuilla Colorado

  • WON: Gabriel Cervantes, Colorado House of Representatives, District 31 (D) – Descendent of the Coahuiltecan

  • WON: Consuelo Redhorse, Colorado House of Representatives, District 13 (D) – Navajo Connecticut

  • WON: Larry Pemberton Jr., Connecticut House of Representatives, District 139 (D) – Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation Hawai’i

  • WON: Kirstin Kahaloa, Hawaii  House of Representatives, District 6 (D) – Native Hawaiian *ran uncontested

  • LOST: Kalehua Kaopua, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 45 (D) – Kanaka ʻŌiwi

  • WON: Jeanné Kapela, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 5 (D) – Native Hawaiian

  • WON: Pa’ele Kiakona, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 14 (Green) – Native Hawaiian

  • WON: Darius Kila, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 44 (D) – Native Hawaiian

  • WON: Mahina Poepoe, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 13 (D) – Native Hawaiian

  • WON: Micah Po’okela Kim Aiu, Hawaii House of Representatives, District 32 (D) – Native Hawaiian Idaho

  • LOST: Trish Carter-Goodheart, Idaho House of Representatives, District 6A (D) – Nez Perce Tribe Iowa

  • LOST: Jessica Lopez-Walker, Iowa House of Representatives, District 2 (D) – Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Maine

  • WON: April Fournier, Maine House of Representatives, District 114, (D) – Diné Michigan

  • LOST: Melissa Perron, Michigan House of Representatives, District 107 (D) – Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians Minnesota

  • WON: Shelley Buck, Minnesota House of Representatives, District 47A (D) – Prairie Island Indian Community

  • WON: Alicia “Liish” Kozlowski,  Minnesota House of Representatives, District 8B (D) – Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Mexicana

  • WON: Steve Green, Minnesota State Senate, District 2 ® – White Earth Nation

  • WON: Mary Kunesh,  Minnesota State Senate, District 39 (D) – Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (Descendant) Montana

Only one Native candidate lost their race in Montana, meaning 12 Indigenous people are headed to the state legislature.

  • LOST: Dalton Bradford, Montana House of Representatives, District 13 (D) – Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes

  • WON: Thedis Crowe, Montana House of Representatives, District 15 (D) – Blackfeet Nation

  • WON: Erin Farris-Olsen, Montana State Senate, District 41 (D) – Brothertown Indian Nation

  • WON: Katie Fire Thunder, Montana House of Representatives, District 59 (D) – Oglala Lakota

  • WON: Sidney “Chip” Fitzpatrick, Montana House of Representatives, District 42 (D) – Crow

  • WON: Mike Fox, Montana House of Representatives, District 32 (D) – Gros Ventre

  • WON: Shelly Fyant, Montana House of Representatives, District 91 (D) – Bitterroot Salish of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes

  • WON: Donavon Hawk, Montana House of Representatives, District 72 (D) – Crow and Crow Creek Sioux

  • WON: Shane Morigeau, Montana State Senate, District 50 (D) – Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation

  • WON: Lona Running Wolf, Montana House of Representatives, District 16 (D) – Blackfeet Nation

  • WON: Tyson Running Wolf, Montana State Senate, District 8 (D) – Blackfeet Nation

  • WON: Jade Sooktis, Montana House of Representatives, District 41 (D) – Northern Cheyenne

  • WON:  Natalie Weeks-O’Neal, Montana House of Representatives, District 31 (D) – Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribe Nevada

  • WON: Shea Backus, Nevada State Assembly, District 37 (D) – Cherokee

  • LOST: Calvin Sandoval, Nevada State Senate, District 20 (D) – Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, Turtle Mountain Chippewa and Fort Peck Tribes New Mexico

  • WON:  Michelle Paulene Abeyta, New Mexico House of Representatives, District 69 (D) – Diné

  • WON:  Heather Ellison, New Mexico House of Representatives, District 4 ® – Navajo Nation

  • WON:  Martha Garcia, New Mexico House of Representatives, District 6 (D) – Diné

  • WITHDREW: Joseph Hernandez,New Mexico House of Representatives, District 4 (D) – Navajo

  • WON: Doreen Wonda Johnson, New Mexico House of Representatives, District 5 (D) – Diné

  • WON: Derrick Lente, New Mexico House of Representatives, District 65 (D) – Sandia Pueblo and Isleta Pueblo

  • WON: Charlotte Little, New Mexico House of Representatives, District 68 (D) – San Felipe Pueblo

  • WON: Patricia Roybal Caballero, New Mexico House of Representatives, District 13 (D) – Piro/Manso/Tiwa Indian tribe and Pueblo of San Juan de Guadalupe North Dakota

All Native candidates won their races in North Dakota on Nov. 3.

  • WON: Collette Brown, North Dakota House of Representatives, District 9 (D) – Spirit Lake Nation

  • WON: Jayme Davis, North Dakota State Senate, District 9 (D) – Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and Standing Rock Nation

  • WON: Duane Poitra, North Dakota House of Representatives, District 9 (D) – Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Oklahoma

  • WON:  Chelsey Branham, Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 85 (D) – Chickasaw Nation

  • WON:  Hurchel “Trey” Caldwell, Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 63 ® – Choctaw

  • WON: Amanda Clinton, Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 71 (D) – Cherokee *uncontested

  • WON:  Kristina Gabriel, Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 77 (D) – Cherokee Nation *uncontested

  • WON:  David Hardin, Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 86 ® – Cherokee

  • WON:  Ronald “Ron” Stewart, Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 73 (D) –  Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Muscogee Nation (descendent) *general election cancelled, won at primary uncontested

  • LOST: Christopher Wier, Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 4 (D) – Cherokee Nation Oregon

  • WON:  Emily McIntire, Oregon House of Representatives, District 56 ® – Muscogee Nation *Ran uncontested

  • WON:  Tawna Sanchez, Oregon House of Representatives, District 43 (D) – Shoshone-Bannock, Ute and Carrizo South Carolina

Rep. Pedalino, Republican and the incumbent, lost to Democrat Patricia Pringle by 144 votes – just 10 votes outside of the amount needed to trigger a recount in the race.

  • LOST: Fawn Pedalino, South Carolina House of Representatives, District 64 ® – Natchez-Kusso Tribe South Dakota

  • LOST: Tyler Tordsen, South Dakota House of Representatives, District 14 ® – Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate

  • WON: Eric Emery, South Dakota House of Representatives, District 26A (D) – Rosebud Sioux Tribe

  • WON: Jana Hunt, South Dakota House of Representatives, District 28A ® – Cheyenne River Lakota

  • LOST: Shawn Bordeaux, South Dakota State Senate, District 26 (D) – Rosebud Sioux Tribe

  • LOST: Lewis GrassRope, South Dakota House of Representatives, District 26B (D) – Lower Brule Sioux Tribe

  • LOST: Samuel Hare Sr., South Dakota House of Representatives, District 32 (Independent/NPP) – Yankton Sioux Tribe

  • **LOST:**Elizabeth Lone Eagle, South Dakota House of Representatives, District 27 (Independent/NPP) – Cheyenne River Lakota

  • WON: Evangeline Poor Bear, South Dakota House of Representatives, District 27 (Independent/NPP) – Oglala Lakota

  • LOST: Celestine Stadnick, South Dakota State Senate, District 27 (D) – Oglala Lakota

  • LOST: Peri Pourier, South Dakota State Senate, District 27 (I) – Oglala Lakota Tennessee

  • WON: Bryan Terry, Tenneseee House of Representatives, District 48 ® – Choctaw Utah

  • WON: Angela Romero, Utah House of Representatives, District 25 (D) – Shoshone-Bannock

  • LOST: Tracie Yellowman Tso, Utah House of Representatives, District 69 (D) – Diné Vermont

  • WON: Alanna Ojibway, Vermont House of Representatives, Windsor 6 (D) – Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and United Houma Nation Washington

As of 3:35 Central Standard Time on Friday, Nov. 6, Maria Littlesun’s, Skokomish, raced against incumbent  Rep. Travis Couture, R-Washington, falls within the margin of error to call for a recount under Washington State Law. Couture currently leads by 1,658 votes – less than 0.5 percent of the total votes cast in this race, which falls in line with the law’s stipulations (must be a difference of less than 2,000 votes and equal less than 0.5 percent of the total vote.)

The Washington Secretary of State’s Office did not respond to a request for comment on the status of this race.

  • TOO CLOSE TO CALL: Maria Littlesun, Washington House of Representatives, District 35-Position 2 (D) – Skokomish

  • WON: Debra Lekanoff, Washington House of Representatives, District 40-Position 1 (D) – Tlingit Tribe

  • WON: Chelsea Dimas, Washington House of Representatives, District 14-Position 1 (D) – Nahua and Purapecha

  • WON: Kim D. Harless, Washington House of Representatives, District 49-Position 1 (D) – Ópata

  • WON: Renee Hernandez Greenfield, Washington House of Representatives, District 26-Position 2 (D) – Cochiti Pueblo, San Ildefonso Pueblo and Taos Pueblo

  • WON: Chris Stearns, Washington House of Representatives, District 47-Position 2 (D) – Navajo

  • WON: Claudia Kauffman, Washington State Senate, District 47 (D) – Nez Perce Tribe Wyoming

  • WON: Ivan Posey, Wyoming House of Representatives, District 33 (D) – Eastern Shoshone tribe, Northern Cheyenne and Northern Arapaho

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