"The Republican Party is viewed by most Indians as 'anti-Indian.' They have had good reason to believe this. When many tribes were trying to establish casinos on their reservations it was usually the Republicans who stood in their way. When severe budget cuts devastated the reservations during the Reagan years, the Indian people put this in their memory banks.

The younger generation of Indian voters usually follow the lead of their elders. One family head will usually determine whom they will vote for and they accept this. Many of the elders remember Franklin Delano Roosevelt, first as their wartime leader during the Second World War but also for all of the Civilian Conservation Corp and WPA jobs he brought to Indian country during and after the Great Depression.

Roosevelt was a Democrat and considered a very good man by many tribal elders.

He left his mark in Indian country and that tradition is still a part of the culture. This is a very high hurdle for the Republicans to overcome. They must also overcome the legacy of John and Robert Kennedy, two men who were dearly loved in Indian country."

Get the Story:
Tim Giago: Politics In Indian Country (The New London Day 7/21)
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