Indian candidate for Congress raises $114K this year

Thursday, April 17, 2008  

Benny Shendo Jr., a Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress, is trailing one of his opponents in campaign contributions.

Shendo, a former state Cabinet official from Jemez Pueblo, raised $113,626 in the first three months of the year. Rival Ben Ray Lujan, the son of New Mexico House Speaker Ben Lujan, raised $328,740 in the same period.

A big percentage of Shendo's funds came from tribes and tribal members. Some his donors included $6,900 each from Jemez and Isleta pueblos; $2,300 from Acoma Pueblo; $250 from Tesuque Pueblo; and $2,300 each from the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe of Colorado and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians in California.

if elected, Shendo would be New Mexico's first Native American Congressman. He would be the second Native American in Congress -- the other is Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma), a member of the Chickasaw Nation.

Get the Story:
Shendo rakes in Indian cash — but not all of it (The Santa Fe New Mexican 4/17)