Republican Eli Crane has won a second term in the U.S. House of Representatives after defeating Democratic challenger Jonathan Nez in Arizona’s Second Congressional District.

“I’m grateful to every voter in AZ-02 who cast their vote in support of the America First movement, entrusting me to represent you again,” Crane said in a statement posted on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. 

Crane said that he is “laser-focused on working with President (Donald) Trump to lower inflation, secure the border and return to peace through strength.”

Crane will continue to represent Arizona’s largest congressional district, which stretches from south of Phoenix to the borders of New Mexico in the east and Utah in the north, encompassing much of eastern and northern Arizona. 

With about 90% of the district’s vote tallied, Crane led Nez 54% to 45%.

🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/1u2NveDXQa

— Eli Crane for Congress (@EliCraneAZ) November 10, 2024

Crane commended Nez, the former president of the Navajo Nation, for entering the race in his statement, saying that “it’s never an easy decision, and I wish him and his family the best.”

Crane, 43, lives in Oro Valley, outside the district. He served in the U.S. Navy for 13 years, where he joined the SEAL team, and operated a small business called Bottle Breacher until he sold it in 2022. He is a member of the Homeland Security, Veteran Affairs, and Small Business Committees as well as the House Freedom Caucus, Western Caucus, and Copper Caucus.

The current district, redrawn in 2021 during the once-a-decade redistricting process, includes heavily GOP Yavapai County, and Republicans have a strong registration advantage. The redrawn district gave the GOP a seven-point edge, a stark difference from the nearly evenly split district it replaced.

Congressional District 2 covers about 60% of Arizona, and tribal land makes up a large portion of that district. The district includes 14 tribes in northern, eastern, and central Arizona, and those tribal members make up about 20% of the district’s total population.

Jonathan Nez, former president of Navajo Nation, concedes race to Republican incumbent Eli Crane in Arizona's 2nd Congressional District. #NativeVote #NativeCongress #AZ02 https://t.co/3DeDe3rPgK

— indianz.com (@indianz) November 10, 2024

During his first term in Congress, Crane, a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, sponsored 15 bills that mainly focused on veterans, public lands, natural resources and immigration issues. Only two bills passed the House, but none have been signed into law.

The first-term Republican has made his presence known in Congress, especially after being one of the six Republicans to vote out House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. He’s taken a hard stance against reproductive rights as the co-sponsor of “The Life At Conception Act,” which would ban abortions with no exceptions as well as ban women’s access to birth control and IVF. 

Crane released a statement on the social media platform X, congratulating President-elect Trump on his victory. 

“We the People have spoken loud and clear,” Crane wrote. “Today marks an historic referendum in favor of the America First movement. Congratulations to President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance on their decisive victory.”

This story originally appeared on Arizona Mirror on November 9, 2024. It is published under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-ND 4.0).

Arizona Mirror is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arizona Mirror maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jim Small for questions: info@azmirror.com. Follow Arizona Mirror on Facebook and X.