There’s little new about the upcoming midterm elections this November. The process is, as always, virtually unchanging.
But the thing about this race that is different than in years past are some of the faces that are in it.
Elizabeth Mercedes Krause’s run for Nevada’s second congressional district marks the first run by an Indigenous woman in Nevada for a seat on Capitol Hill.
If she succeeds, she will join the ranks of the very few Indigenous women who have made it to the upper echelons of the federal government.
But Krause isn’t just a grassroots candidate challenging an incumbent Republican representative. She’s also an educator, a mother, and an active presence in Nevada’s Indigenous community.
KNPR’s Indigenous affairs reporter Miles Brady sat down with Krause to discuss her policy, her background in the Oglala Lakota Nation, and what lead her to the Democratic nomination for District 2 versus incumbent Mark Amodei.
She's born and raised in Nevada, and has three children. She said her path was to "step up" ... "we do need more voices that are talking about the real needs of the people."
INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
On the 'political game'
I remember one day when we were in our session, and I really heard the message that going into politics and running, it's not where you have to learn to mold yourself into something to be a part of a ... they call it a game sometime, right? The political game. But what we really need is more people with real life experiences, wider lenses, stepping into leadership. So we don't need people to change and learn to be part of this game, our political system, we need real people with real life experience running for change.
On her platform
I do want to highlight that we need to have a better respect for sovereignty of tribal nations. There are 27 tribal nations in Nevada, and 18 of those are in District 2. And on top of that, it goes back to dignity and that pursuit of happiness. And at this point, we need to really start addressing protection of our rights. It's been pretty shocking. There have been attacks to women's autonomy and choice, reproductive choices ... I mean, there was a vote against as same sex marriage and interracial marriage. We're talking about protecting our water and the environment, and living wages, affordable housing and health care, those all go to dignity and and our rights. So I think those are for me, I would say the core of what I'm pushing for.
On Amodei's support of the naval base expansion
I stand solidly in the push for rather than consultation, moving to consent. And if there is no consent, then that's where, in my eyes, we need to make sure we have precedent set with the United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous people. And we need to follow that. So I guess clearly, moving from the "consultation" to actual consent of tribal communities when their areas, and especially sacred sites, are affected.
On education in Nevada
These schools, these are citizens, these are citizens of that district, citizens of our state. And the same priority should be given, the same equitable priority, should be given to students who attend primarily in our schools with high tribal citizen attendance. I've heard that things like schools having extremely old and somewhat dangerous playground equipment, schools not having courtyards, or common areas. And so in between classes, or during downtime, students are sitting in the hallways on the floor. This is not equitable. This is not okay. And there's no reason for it there. It shouldn't be like a community on the outskirts. These are Nevada students in Nevada school districts and they need equitable attention.
Elizabeth Mercedes Krause, candidate, Nevada's 2nd Congressional District
