Denise Juneau is running for Montana's sole seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Photo by Mark Trahant / Trahant Reports
A record number of Indian candidates are running for seats in the U.S. Congress and journalist Mark Trahant is following them for Trahant Reports. Denise Juneau, a member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation is among the promising hopefuls. She's well known in Indian Country as the first Native woman to serve as Superintendent of Public Instruction for the state of Montana. Juneau, who grew up on the Blackfeet Nation, is hoping to build on that success in her bid for Montana's sole seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. If she wins, she would be the first Native woman in Congress.
Mark Trahant on Vimeo: Denise Juneau - It’s really great to be here
"To elect an American Indian woman to serve in Congress, to elect an openly gay person -- There's a lot of enthusiasm around this race," Juneau told Trahant for his #NativeVote16 project. Juneau is hoping to unseat Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Montana). He's seeking re-election and has advocated for tax parity and economic development in Indian Country since joining the House in 2015. Native Americans represent 6.6 percent of the population in Montana, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Native vote has played critical roles in close races. In 2006, Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana), the vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, defeated Republican incumbent Conrad Burns thanks to turnout in Indian Country.
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