Norris
seeks Navajo endorsement
By Marley Shebala
The Navajo Times
WINDOW ROCK (Feb. 28, 2002) - The question
facing the two Navajo candidates for Arizona's new congressional district
is who is "most electable."
Arizona state Rep. Debora Norris, 30, posed that
question to the Navajo Nation Council's Intergovernmental Relations Committee
last Friday, saying she is.
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Norris is finishing her third term representing state
legislative District 11, which is in the southern part of Arizona and has
95 percent non-Indians residing in it.
Congressional District 1 is in northern Arizona.
Norris said the congressional race is a terrific
opportunity to elect a Native American because the district has a 25 percent
population of Native Americans, which is the highest in the country.
"The bottom line is this district should logically
be able to send a Native American person to Congress if we can get the
vote out and coordinate it properly," she said.
Norris said the race for District 1 is among the
country's top 15 because it's a swing district.
The district is 42 percent Democrat, 36 percent Republican
and 18 percent Independent, which means it has a Democratic voter edge,
she said.
But that doesn't always translate into people voting,
added Norris.
"So everybody in the nation is looking at this particular
race because it's going to be a very close race," she said.
But Norris said the interest of national political
organizations such as the Democratic National Party and the Republican
National Party is making people forget that this should be a Native American
seat.
The Navajo Nation has 35,000 registered voters but
34,000 don't vote in primary elections, she said.
So people don't really know how powerful the Navajo
Nation is, said Norris. "The sleeping giant is what the Navajo Nation is
considered now."
She said the Navajo Nation has the power to elect
the next congressperson but only if the people get out and vote and all
vote for the same person.
"If you don't vote for the same person, it makes
you less powerful," explained Norris.
She added that she'd like the Navajo people to vote
for her but the need is to get the people out to vote for their candidate
of choice.
Norris said, "I'm the only candidate who can win
this election by the use of coalition with the education community, which
I've been working with for six years now. I have an excellent record with
environmental issues and health care issues and native issues.
"I believe that I have an edge because I'm a woman,"
she said. "And in Arizona that's proven over and over again to give you
an electable advantage, especially in northern Arizona."
Norris said her ability to get elected in a district
with 95 percent non-Indians and to work with all the tribes in Arizona
shows she can get votes from all communities.
She is the first Native American woman elected to
the state Legislature and would be the first Native American woman in the
U.S. Congress.
Norris, who is Navajo and Tohono O'odham, said the
Tohono O'odham Nation, San Carlos Apache Tribe, Gila River Indian Community
and Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation have endorsed her. She also wants the
endorsement of the Navajo Nation.
She noted that during her six years in office, she
has successfully sponsored legislation that benefited the Navajo Nation,
such as funding for senior citizen centers; tax sharing for Indian tribal
colleges, which included Din* College; increased diabetes programs; health
insurance for children; and rural health clinics.
Norris, who serves on the state's education committee,
said she supported bills to decrease classroom sizes and sponsored a 2001
bill that opened up $200 million worth of bonding for schools in Indian
Country.
She said the Red Mesa School District passed a bond
for $8 million.
Norris explained, "Essentially what that means is
we can start building better quality school buildings in Indian school
districts and it's not going to cost the state money.
"There's school districts that never had a swimming
pool and they're now going to have a swimming pool," she said. "Now they're
going to have gymnasiums that they deserved all along."
She said it would also create jobs in rural areas
where the economy is in a recession.
"So I just want you to know that I've been there
for you all along for you and I'm looking out for the Navajo Nation and
Indian tribes all over Arizona," said Norris.
The Arizona Business Journal named Norris one of
Arizona's top 100 Most Influential people. She also was among 35 individuals
selected from among the 50 states to attend a legislative leadership program
last year.
Norris is also the first Native American to serve
as the first vice chair for the State Democratic Party and is a member
of National Democratic Party, which only as three Native American members.
Since Norris' presentation was listed as a report
on the agenda of the Intergovernmental Relations Committee (IGR), the committee
could only accept or reject her report.
The IGR unanimously accepted her report.
Norris said she plans to return to the council and
ask for the Navajo Nation's support, which would include a request for
$1,000 for campaign expenses for the primary election and $1,000 for the
general election.
President Kelsey Begaye and Vice President Dr. Taylor
McKenzie have endorsed Derrick Watchman for District One.
Watchman resigned as their chief of staff on Feb.
8 to begin his campaign.
WEB SITE: http://www.azleg.state.az.us/members/45leg/dnorris.htm
http://www.thenavajotimes.com/Politics/politics.html#
