Native views at the DNC • Source New Mexico

CHICAGO — The energy is much different heading into the Democratic National Convention than when I traveled to the Republican version in Wisconsin a month ago. 

So much has changed in a month — like the top of the Democratic ticket.

The platform Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz will present to voters is still unclear. 

What’s clear is my news assignment.

How would Native Americans fare during four years of a Harris/Walz administration?

The views that came out from the RNC in Wisconsin (from those who could give sovereignty more than one sentence), offered on-the-record support for the foundational approach to tribal governance. The Native voices at that convention consistently said that they will work toward a path to achieve progress with whatever federal United States government is in power, but ask that it stay fair and respectful to the directions tribes want to move in.

That is still on the agenda in Chicago for Democrats.

This week in Chicago, I’ll be looking for good conversations and solid answers from politicians and potential U.S. leaders on topics like health care, the environment, sovereignty, cultural recognition, schools and anything else that would serve Native American people in the next four years. (And probably for a good tavern-crust pizza, too.)

The Republican National Convention showed us a party still set to restart what stopped when former President Donald Trump lost the election in 2020. Republicans at the convention in Wisconsin last month championed the same policies directed by the GOP in Congress in opposition to the last four years under President Joe Biden. 

Republicans made the argument that this election is a choice between running it back with a Democratic agenda that could further Biden-era initiatives, or rewinding U.S. politics back to the time of Trump.

We’ve seen both of these movies.

So when it comes to how this all shakes out for Native people, we can start at the Interior Department. 

The Interior gives us an obvious jumping-off point for asking about the impact on Native people if Harris and Walz take the White House in January.

Interior Department Secretary Deb Haaland supports the ticket, and if she stays in her post, she could see efforts through and manage more long-term the billions in White House investments directed under Biden for tribal governments.

What will those investments look like under a new administration? Would Harris approach the Interior differently in any way? Would Haaland’s role grow under a new yet familiar president?

This dynamic then filters down to everyone that works with Haaland — her staff and the hundreds of tribal nations that work with the Interior daily. 

It’s worth noting, too, that at the Republican National Convention, I talked with U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado), who said she would like to replace Haaland should Trump win. Boebert said she would reverse Haaland-led efforts, like expanding Bears Ears National Monument, and would expand drilling projects.

Beyond the Interior Department, we should also take into account what it means for the White Earth Nation citizen and Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan if her boss Tim Walz is elected U.S. vice president.

Flanagan would step into the governor’s role and lead Minnesota into 2025. If Harris and Walz win in November, Flanagan would become the first Native American woman governor in U.S. history.

Native Media at the DNC

For our news coverage, it all starts where we left off at the RNC — sovereignty and specifically how will the United States meet its treaty obligations to Native American people that live in this country.

Milwaukee presented insight into how that relationship works and could move forward with a Republican administration. Native Americans spoke to issues like public safety, economy — anything that makes it easier to function alongside the U.S. government. 

Our coverage gave projections on national GOP leaders, people in line with the Trump administration policies, ready to move them forward if he were to win office.

The questions are the same for Democrats.

We’ll be broadcasting across the country Monday through Friday. In New Mexico, you can tune in at 11 a.m. Sean Spruce will lead the coverage, hosting our shows for Native America Calling. Antonia Gonzales will report on air with us for National Native News, and Pauly Denetclaw will report on the ground at the convention for ICTNews. 

On Thursday evening, we will have a live show from inside the United Center leading up to the nomination speech by Harris. 

States Newsroom will also have coverage from the overall convention all week long, and provide insight into how Democrats hope to shape the platform in the final weeks leading up to the general election.