Native American voters weigh in on this election.

Former President Donald Trump traveled to New Mexico last Thursday in the latest attempt to rally voters in the state. He focused on the rally for Latino voters, but several Native Americans also attended the event.

During the rally, former Navajo Nation Vice President Myron Lizer, a Republican, said he wants to see areas with high Native American populations develop economically.

“We want to make Indian America great,” he said. “We’ve never been there. I have to make fun of the idea of ​​”Build Back Better” because how do you build back better from a place you’ve never been? I’m talking about Indian country.”

The Build Back Better program was part of President Joe Biden’s economic plan and was also included in the American Rescue Plan and other legislation.

“I am listening to President Trump and his leadership to help bring India into the 21st century. Amen, President Trump. We want to be invited into the American dream. Yego Trump,” he said.

Trump focused much of his speech on border security, saying, quote, “millions of people” are passing through New Mexico’s portion of the southern border. Customs and Border Protection Reports Since the start of fiscal year 2021, there have been nearly half a million encounters at the New Mexico border. Trump said there are criminals among them.

“Congratulations. Now these gang members are in your presence,” he said. “You have a lot of rude men, don’t you?”

Jen Tomasik is from the Quapaw tribe in Oklahoma. She attended the Trump rally while she was in town for an Indigenous business convention. She said she shared Trump’s sentiments. Her own mother was beaten by someone who entered the country illegally.

“And it could have taken her life,” she said. “It scared the hell out of my kids and he was never brought to justice. And you know those things where we can’t hold people accountable for the injustices they commit. So having that ability is what’s needed.”

Statistics show that Native Americans tend to vote Democratic, but at least one research survey after the 2022 midterm elections showed Republicans gaining popularity among Native voters.

“I’m a mom, I’m an aunt, I’m a cousin, I’m a sister,” Tomasik said. “I don’t like to tie myself to anything, you know, too much. I like to decide things individually on a case-by-case basis.”

Tomasik said that although she is a Republican, she does not put herself in a box and is not a political person.

“As far as our people are concerned, you must make this individual choice yourself. And it goes beyond the party. It all depends on what your Creator tells you, that inner feeling: what you feel is right and what you feel is wrong,” she said.

Despite New Mexico having one of the largest Native American populations in the country, Trump made no mention of Native American voters in his speech. Instead, he made derogatory remarks about Kamala Harris and called Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren Pocahontas.

“Kamala is a radical left-wing Marxist whose ratings are even worse than that of crazy Bernie Sanders and Pocahontas herself,” he said.

Republican Brandi Ross of Oklahoma’s Cherokee Nation was offended by this.

“When he mentioned Pocahontas, we both covered our faces because I feel bad for those comments, yes, but I think those comments come from a place of ignorance. This is true, and it can be fixed,” she said.

Ross also believed that land acknowledgment should have been made prior to the event, which is standard practice in New Mexico and other parts of the world.

“You fly into any city in Australia and they recognize the lands and people of those countries when you land on any airline, it’s very simple. Has an amazing impact on minorities like us,” she said.

But Valentina, who did not want to give her last name, said that she was closer to the political views of her elders. She is a Navajo from Farmington and said that even though her parents were Democrats, she is a Republican.

“I was raised by my grandparents, and my grandparents are very conservative, so I’ve always been on the Republican side,” she said.

She said Trump is the better candidate because the economy was in better shape under his presidency.

“Inflation has dropped. Our borders were not open. He was slowly getting us back on our feet, and just when COVID hit, everything started to go south,” she said.

But not everyone who worries about the economy is voting for Trump. Tamara Ellison is a Navajo originally from Farmington. She attended a Snag the Vote event in Albuquerque a few weeks ago and said she was concerned about things like food prices and rent.

“And I just see so many people working, you know, minimum wage, two jobs, just to survive,” she said.

Ellison votes for Kamala Harris based on the vice president’s background.

“What she did, she comes from the middle, you know,” she said. “I think she’s a middle class family herself, she understands that. I don’t think Trump has the experience to really understand the problems and what everyone, low- and middle-income people face, he’s never been there.”

Tayla Chopito from Zuni Pueblo also attended the event. She serves on the All Pueblo Governors’ Council and said she is voting for Harris over Trump.

“I feel like if this person comes to us, things could change and the Indigenous voice will be swept under the rug,” she said.

She praised Harris’ work with President Biden to protect Chaco Canyon.

“In hopes that we can continue to protect cultural landscapes for our pueblos and indigenous people,” she said.

Santa Clara Pueblo voter Jason Garcia said there are issues in the Native American community that need to be addressed.

“Education, tribal sovereignty, cultural resource protection, environmental protection, water rights, tribal land rights,” he said.

He added that it is important for Native American voices to be heard.

“To show our support for our leadership, whether it’s national, tribal, city, county or whatever, I think it’s important for us, you know, we have a voice in a democratic system, you know, to choose our leaders in this sense. “, he said.

Despite the tensions surrounding this election, humor is still present in Indigenous communities. Garcia had another candidate in mind.

“Kanye. Write,” Garcia said.

Election day is November 5th.

Support for the coverage comes from the Thornburgh Foundation.