{"id":8493,"date":"2021-03-03T13:33:07","date_gmt":"2021-03-03T18:33:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=8493"},"modified":"2021-03-30T16:45:15","modified_gmt":"2021-03-30T20:45:15","slug":"tribes-endorse-georgene-louis-in-bid-for-deb-haalands-seat-in-congress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/03\/03\/tribes-endorse-georgene-louis-in-bid-for-deb-haalands-seat-in-congress\/","title":{"rendered":"Tribes endorse Georgene Louis in bid for Deb Haaland’s seat in Congress"},"content":{"rendered":"\"georgenelouis\"\r\n
Georgene Louis. Courtesy photo<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n
Tribes endorse Georgene Louis in bid for Deb Haaland’s seat in Congress<\/div>\r\n
Wednesday, March 3, 2021<\/div>\r\n
By Acee Agoyo<\/div>\r\n
Indianz.Com<\/div>\r\n

<\/P>\r\nWith Rep. Deb Haaland<\/a> (D-New Mexico) inching toward confirmation as Secretary of the Interior, tribal nations are turning their attention is turning to the seat she would be vacating in the U.S. House of Representatives<\/a>.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nGeorgene Louis<\/a>, a state lawmaker and citizen of the Pueblo of Acoma<\/a>, has announced her bid to represent New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District<\/a>. Her campaign has the backing of leaders from some of the largest tribes in the U.S., including the Navajo Nation<\/a>.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nIn a resolution co-signed by Vice President Myron Lizer<\/a> of the Navajo Nation<\/a>, the Coalition of Large Tribes<\/a> said \u201cGeorgene Louis will strengthen the relationship between tribes and states not only in New Mexico but throughout the United States and will continue the historic endorsement of sending a Native American Indian to Congress.\u201d \r\n

<\/p>\r\nLouis, an attorney who previously worked as general counsel at Acoma, has served in the New Mexico Legislature<\/a> since 2013. She represents District 26 near Albuquerque, the most populous city in the state. \r\n

<\/p>\r\nIn touting her tribal endorsement, she acknowledged the landmark nature of her efforts to succeed Haaland, a fellow Pueblo woman leader.\r\n

<\/p> \r\n\u201cAs a proud member of the Pueblo of Acoma, I\u2019m so grateful to have gained some exciting support this week from the Coalition of Large Tribes,\u201d Louis said on Wednesday.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n \u201cIf I\u2019m fortunate enough to become the newest Congresswoman from New Mexico, I will fight every day to build off the important work of Congresswoman Haaland, serve as an effective Native voice in Congress, and deliver on the issues important to our communities,\u201d Louis added.\r\n

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coltgeorgenelouis<\/a><\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nHaaland, who hails from the Pueblo of Laguna<\/a>, made history in November 2018 by becoming one of the first two Native women to win election to Congress<\/a>. She easily won a second term in office last November, along with Sharice Davids<\/a>, a citizen of the Ho-Chunk Nation<\/a> who represents the 3rd Congressional District<\/a> in Kansas. Both are Democrats.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n Haaland is set to break barriers yet again by joining President Joe Biden’s Cabinet. Should she be confirmed for the Department of the Interior<\/a>, she would be the first Native person to lead the federal agency with the most trust and treaty responsibilities in Indian Country.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe achievement opens the door to a special election in New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District<\/a>. Under state law<\/a>, the vote would take place within three months of the seat being declared vacant.\r\n

<\/P>\r\nBut unlike most elections, there will not be a primary. Instead, the Democratic and Republican parties will choose their respective candidates for the seat. Independents and write-ins can also seek to appear on the ballot.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nSo far, the field is a crowded one. On the Democratic side, at least eight are seeking their party’s nomination. \r\n

<\/p>\r\nLouis and Patricia Roybal Caballero<\/a>, a fellow state lawmaker<\/a> who comes from the Pueblo of Guadalupe, a non-recognized tribe, are the only Native candidates. \r\n

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<\/p>\r\nAs for Republicans, at least five are in the running. But Michelle Garcia Holmes<\/a>, a retired police detective who was unsuccessful in her bid to unseat Haaland last year, is not among those seeking the GOP’s nomination for the seat.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nA Democrat has held New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District since 2009. Voters in the district have reliably supported the Democratic presidential candidate since 2000, with Joe Biden defeating Republican Donald Trump by a whopping 23 percentage points in November. \r\n

<\/p>\r\nAbout 3.5 percent of the district is American Indian or Alaska Native. They also account for 4.7 percent of the population in Albuquerque, which has long been home to citizens of Pueblo<\/a> and Navajo tribes, along with other urban Indians. \r\n

<\/p>\r\nLouis has taken a prominent role in advancing tribal issues in the New Mexico Legislature. The Coalition of Large Tribes resolution<\/a> cites her efforts to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, protect Native voting rights, preserve Native languages and support Native education as her accomplishments.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cGeorgene’s leadership speaks for itself,\u201d said Governor Brian Vallo of the Pueblo of Acoma, in his endorsement of Louis<\/a>. \u201cShe has really added significantly to this movement of empowerment and leadership of women in these levels of government.\u201d\r\n

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