Native Americans make up a third of the population in Gallup, New Mexico, a town near the Navajo Nation, but few have ever run for public office.

The Gallup Independent said only two Navajos have sought seats in City Hall. Don Hubbard ran for mayor in 1995. Anna Rondon just launched her mayoral bid last week.

Local Navajos say they don't feel as tied to Gallup as they do to the reservation. "I think we don't really care about what's going on in the city," Gilbert Shorty, a Vietnam veteran, told The Gallup Independent.

Others cite distrust of the Gallup government. The city paid $300,000 to settle charges that it discriminated against Indian applicants.

Get the Story:
Natives vying for seats on council rare (The Gallup Independent 1/16)

Relevant Links:
Navajo Nation - http://www.navajo.org
Navajo Nation Council - http://www.navajonationcouncil.org

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