Arizona
SOTU guests from Arizona show how Biden needs support from Native voters in battleground states
Coverage of tribal natural resources is supported in part by Catena Foundation
When President Joe Biden gave his State of the Union address Thursday, Native Americans from Arizona were special guests on Capitol Hill. It sent a clear message about the importance of Indigenous support for Democrats facing high-stakes elections this year in battleground states.
Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego, a retired U.S. Marine Corps corporal, brought John and Cheston Bailon, two Navajo brothers who fought beside him in Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, during the Iraq War.
“Many moons ago, we were just young men, you know, trying to do our jobs on patrol together and now we get to have this cool experience wearing suits and looking a little grayer, a little older, but still as closest friends as we were then and I’m very happy that they’re here with me,” Gallego told KJZZ News. “I’m just glad to share this experience with my Marine Corps brothers.”
KJZZ
(From left) Cheston Bailon, Ruben Gallego and John Bailon
“We’ve gone through with our deployments, and then us living in Arizona, we were students at ASU when Ruben started his career there,” added John Bailon. “Here we are, what a cool moment for us.”
A long-time House representative, who’s now running for a seat in the U.S. Senate, Gallego shared the federal government has “neglected” its trust responsibilities and that “there’s a lot more work needs to be done.”
“I think historically, the relationship between tribes and the government has been a pendulum of supporters or aggressors,” said Cheston Bailon, “and Ruben has been asking a lot of curious, compassionate questions, since I first met him. I think that’s what built our relationship and has extended to supporting and advocating for all tribes.”
Governor Stephen Roe Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community got invited by First Lady Jill Biden. Among the first lady’s 20 guests in attendance, he was the only one from Arizona. Lews was even told by White House staff that he’s the first tribal guest to sit inside the presidential box.
Gabriel Pietorazio/KJZZ
Governor Stephen Roe Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community thanks paradegoers for returning to the first Ira Hayes celebration in three years.
“I definitely hope that my presence there means something and speaks volumes about Arizona, and about the importance of tribes and tribal sovereignty,” Lewis told KJZZ News. “I have never seen the amount of attention due to tribes from the Biden-Harris administration for what has been accomplished in Indian Country.”
Climate change, infrastructure, and water were among critical issues Lewis identified for Native voters in Arizona, where Indigenous peoples make up 5 percent of the state’s population.
“Arizona is going to be ground-zero for the upcoming presidential election,” added Lewis. “And these 22 tribes, we are a swing vote. Attention is well-deserved.”
Those tribal communities helped Biden become the first Democrat to win Arizona in a presidential election since 1996.
Arizona
Person accused of making terroristic threats to medical facility in northern Arizona
PAGE, AZ (AZFamily) — A person accused of making terroristic threats toward a northern Arizona medical facility was arrested Friday morning.
Just after 10:30 p.m., police received a report of a person calling the facility and threatening to kill staff and Native Americans, according to the Page Police Department.
Authorities said staff placed the facility on lockdown until officers identified the suspect and arrested them outside their home.
The suspect was booked on charges of disorderly conduct, threatening and intimidating, and making terroristic threats. Police have not publicly identified the person.
“The Page Police Department is grateful for and supports the medical staff’s decision to put the medical facility into lockdown until the suspect was arrested and the situation was rendered safe,” the department said in a Facebook post.
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Arizona
NFL mock draft: 4-round projections for Arizona Cardinals
In these four-round projections, the Arizona Cardinals don’t get a tackle until the fourth round.
We are just days away from the 2026 NFL draft, and that means some final mock drafts. What direction will the draft take the Arizona Cardinals?
Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy put together a four-round mock draft for the Cardinals. They go defense early but rebuild the offense for 2026 and moving forward, including landing their potential franchise quarterback.
Cardinals 4-round mock draft
Here are the players in the first four rounds Popejoy projects for Arizona.
- Round 1: Ohio State EDGE/LB Arvell Reese
- Round 2: Alabama QB Ty Simpson
- Round 3: Clemson WR Antonio Williams
- Round 4: Florida OT Austin Barber
What we think of the picks
The Cardinals want to trade out of the third pick and draft a tackle, so not getting a tackle until Round 4 seems unlikely, although they did meet with Barber. They do have options at right tackle for 2026 already on the roster.
Reese would be a great pick if they don’t trade back, as they badly need pass-rushing help off the edge.
Drafting Simpson seems inevitable at this point, so it has to be in a mock draft, although the feeling is they will need to go up into Round 1 again to get him.
Williams has speed and is almost six feet tall, but he does have short arms.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
Arizona
Detroit Lions NFL Draft Injury Report: Arizona State CB Keith Abney
Due to significant injuries to the CB position last year which includes a shoulder surgery for Terrion Arnold, the Lions CB position scored a 6/10 need on my Lions Defensive Draft Need Rankings. Thus, an early-round selection of a young, healthy prospect like Keith Abney would not come as a surprise. He enters the draft with very low medical concern level.
Here is the excerpt from my medical report on Keith Abney:
(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information are unverified and subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)
Keith Abney, CB (21) – Arizona State
Projected round 2-3. #43 on Jeff Risdon board Feb 19.
Concern level 0/10
There is an isolated report of a hand injury but no corroborating information. Even if the hand injury is true, that’s of minimal to no long-term concern.
His availability in his final two seasons has been perfect. Overall, Abney appears to be medically clean and is at an excellent age.
He finished college with 6 INT and 21 PBU.
For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD
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