PHOENIX — Justin Jones, who earned the most votes out of a crowded field in July's Navajo Nation Presidential Primary, says corruption within the tribal government is the central issue driving his campaign.
Jones is now in a two-way race against current Navajo Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley. The two were the top vote-getters in July's Primary race after incumbent President Buu Nygren failed to secure enough votes to advance to the general election in November.
"There are over 15,000 Navajos that are sick and tired of the way things are going in Navajo Nation and that was my primary message," Jones said, referencing July's Primary vote.
Jones, a Marine Corps veteran who has served as a judge and worked as an attorney, says his administration would examine how the Navajo government operates and would not hesitate to restructure it.
"Number one is the corruption we see in the Navajo Nation government," says Jones. "In all aspects of government - Executive, Legislative, even the Judicial branch and other agencies related to the government. That has been the biggest impediment in terms of bringing the Navajo Nation up to standard," Jones said.
Jones says his approach to governing would look different from what Navajo Nation residents have seen before.
"We want to change that around. We are providing ideas and programs and basically trying to get the Navajo Nation to think outside the box and begin to do things from a different perspective and different angle. That's the change we're talking about," Jones said.
Part of that change, Jones said, would include a top-to-bottom review of the government's structure.
"We have to do a reexamination of the overall structure of the government. Is it effective? Is it efficient? We have some identified that from Day One, we are going to make those modifications."
Jones' running mate is Emily Ellison, executive director of Battered Family Services, which helps survivors of domestic violence. You'll learn more about her in the coming weeks as well.
Stay tuned for more from the Jones and Curley campaigns as we get closer to Election Day.
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