State Policy · AZ
Nez Challenges Crane in Arizona Rematch Over Medicaid Cuts
Democrat Jonathan Nez, former Navajo Nation president, is challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Eli Crane in a rematch for Arizona's Congressional District 2, campaigning partly on Crane's vote for the federal budget bill that cut Medicaid and SNAP funding. Nez lost to Crane by nine points in 2024 but a campaign-commissioned August poll shows a near-tied race, with Nez citing voter "buyer's remorse" over Trump-aligned policies. The district, Arizona's largest, includes 14 tribes and a population that is about 20% Native American, a group whose health coverage relies heavily on Medicaid. The election is set for the 2026 midterms; Crane's campaign did not respond to interview requests.
Why it mattersMedicaid cuts enacted in the federal reconciliation bill are becoming a central campaign issue in a rural, tribal-heavy district where coverage losses could hit Native American beneficiaries and Indian Health Service-adjacent providers hardest.