NM's Sandia Pueblo Seeks to Host Native American Forum of Dem Prez Candidates

According to an AP article in the Santa Fe New Mexican, Albuquerque's Sandia Pueblo is one of two tribes considered front-runners to host an historice "Prez on the Rez" forum of Democratic candidates for president to be held this summer. The Native American organizing group, Indigenous Democrat Network's List Education Fund, expects the event will attract hundreds of tribal leaders from across the country:

The Oklahoma-based group, INDN's List Education Fund, is putting together the event that's expected to attract most, if not all, of the Democratic presidential candidates, the Albuquerque Journal reported in a copyright story.

"I anticipate this is going to be the biggest political event in national American Indian history. Never has this been done before," said Kalyn Free, an organizer for the event and an at-large member of the Democratic National Committee.

Sandia Pueblo and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, whose reservation is near Palm Springs, Calif., are considered the front-runners to host the Aug. 23 event, according to former Sandia Pueblo Gov. Stuart Paisano.

The forum will focus on Native American issues and a decision on the site for it is expected to be made next [this] week. INDN's List is a Democratic group which works to increase the number of Native American candidates seeking public office.

... Free said while political candidates in the past have viewed Indian Country as a potential source of campaign cash and votes in swing districts, on the whole, "we think we've long been ignored."