VP candidates court minorities in battleground state of Arizona
As early voting launched Wednesday in the swing state of Arizona, both vice presidential candidates – Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Republican U.S. Senator JD Vance -- were in the state to rally Latina and Native voters ahead of the November election.
Walz met with tribal leaders of the Gila River Indian Community in the Phoenix area as part of a newly announced initiative to better engage Native American voters. He talked about Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris' and his own commitment to tribal sovereignty and working "hand-in-hand" with tribes on issues of importance.
"What we've always said is if the children of our tribal nations are doing well, everyone's doing well," he said. "And we need to make sure that we're not the gatekeepers, that we're there as partners to make sure things work."
Following a rally in Tucson, Vance attended a town hall event hosted by the Conservative Political Action Conference in the city of Mesa, speaking directly to women and Latinos, who have traditionally favored Democrats.
Vance cited soaring grocery prices and border-related issues such as drug smuggling, which have hit women "especially hard."
"A lot of moms out there, especially Latino women in places like Arizona … are saying we don't want our kids playing on playgrounds where a bag of candy is actually disguised fentanyl or THC."
At the time of this writing, Harris was scheduled to visit Phoenix on Friday, and Trump was slated to hold a rally in Prescott Valley on Sunday.
Mission of San Carlos in Upper California, painted by William Smyth ca. 1827, reproduced in "An Account of a Visit to California, 1826-'27."
California schools to teach Native American history, including genocide and resilience
A new California law, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom and authored by Assemblymember James Ramos, will require students to learn Native American history, including the atrocities committed against Indigenous tribes during Spanish colonization and the Gold Rush.
Ramos, the first Native Californian in the state legislature, introduced the bill to address gaps in education and ensure students learn both the tragedies and resilience of Native communities.
The law, effective January 1, 2025, mandates lessons on Native mistreatment in the fourth-grade curriculum, replacing the current optional content.
Tribal leaders support the law but advocate a more comprehensive approach, integrating not just tragedies but Native culture, language and contributions across subjects.
Ramos, a descendant of the Serrano tribe, emphasized the personal significance of the law, which aims to share the true history of California's Native peoples. Experts warn that successful implementation will require teacher training and significant funding to ensure the material is taught effectively and compassionately.
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Ceremonial leader George Thompson, left, of Hickory Ground in the Muscogee Nation and Robyn Soweka Sr., of Hickory Ground Tribal Town, discuss their dispute with the Poarch Band of Alabama, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Wetumoka, Ala. (AP/Vasha Hunt)
Tribes at odds over historic site in Alabama
A legal conflict between the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the Poarch Creek Indians over Hickory Ground, a sacred site in Alabama, has reignited tensions stemming from colonialism.
The dispute centers on the Poarch's construction of the Wind Creek Casino atop the site, which involved the removal of Muscogee human remains and artifacts. The Muscogee argue this violated the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and are appealing a 2021 ruling granting the Poarch sovereign immunity.
The Muscogee want the site to be restored and the remains returned, viewing the case as a defense of sacred sites and tribal sovereignty. The Poarch, meanwhile, claim they followed legal guidelines and reburied the remains, highlighting the economic importance of the casino to the region.
Both tribes have expressed interest in strengthening federal protections for sacred sites and potentially collaborating on a museum to highlight their shared Creek history.
Hickory Ground was the last capital of the Muscogee people before their forced removal in 1832 during the Trail of Tears. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians, a federally recognized tribe in Alabama since 1984, purchased the original Hickory Ground in 1980 under an agreement to preserve the site for 20 years. However, the Muscogee Nation claims that after this period, the Poarch excavated 57 Muscogee remains and thousands of artifacts to build a casino, sparking controversy over cultural preservation and respect for ancestral remains.
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Idaho Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Moscow, waits for the State of the State address inside the house chambers at the state Capitol building, on Jan. 9, 2017, in Boise, Idaho. (AP Photo/Otto Kitsinger, File)
Idaho state senator accused of racial slur of Native American candidate
The Idaho Republican Party has defended state Sen. Dan Foreman against allegations he told a Native American candidate to "go back where you came from" during a campaign event September 30.
Trish Carter-Goodheart, a member of the Nez Perce Tribe and a candidate for the Idaho House of Representatives, told Idaho's KTVB News that the comment came during a debate on discrimination in Idaho, which another candidate declared nonexistent.
"I basically just sat up and I said … 'Just because this isn't your lived experience does not mean that discrimination and racism don't exist today, and these are … very real experiences of so many Idahoans.'"
No recording of the event has surfaced. Foreman has denied the allegation as "patently false" and criticized media coverage of the event.
"In the final analysis, I suppose we must expect this type of behavior … It seems the more effective a conservative elected official is, the more that person is attacked by the left and most, not all, of the media," he posted on his Facebook page.
Carter-Goodheart included the quote in a news release last week, and her election opponent, Republican Rep. Lori McCann, told the Lewiston Tribune that "her statement is accurate."
"The Nez Perce Tribe refuses to tolerate this kind of hateful and divisive politics, and we ask other elected leaders in this region to stand with us in pushing back against such offensive behavior," the tribe said in an official statement.