Hillary Clinton Campaign Press Release - Clinton Campaign Announces Key Tribal Leader Endorsements

Diversity of Endorsements Demonstrates Depth of Support in Indian Country

The Clinton Campaign today announced the endorsements of key tribal leaders and members from across America.

"I am proud to support Hillary Clinton," said Chairman Arlan Melendez, Reno-Sparks Indian Colony. "She has the depth of understanding of the challenges facing Indian Country and a plan to address these challenges that we need from the next President. She understands the importance of engaging in dialogue with tribal leaders, and I look forward to working with her as President on health care, education, housing, and other issues."

"I am excited that so many tribal leaders have recognized Senator Clinton's commitment to Indian Country," said Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians. "With her combined record as First Lady and as a U.S. Senator, she has unequivocally proven that she is the best candidate for American Indians."

"I'm honored to have the support of so many leaders in Indian Country," Clinton said. "I look forward to an ongoing dialogue throughout this campaign about how we can ensure that no Americans are invisible to the next President of the United States."

Tribal Leaders

• Wanda Batchelor, Chairperson, Stewart Community Council of the Washoe Tribe
• Amy Benally, Tribal Councilmember, Hoh Tribe of Washington
• Melanie Benjamin, Chair, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians
• Pearl Capoeman-Baller, Former President, Quinault Nation
• Gerald Chingwa, Former Tribal Chair, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
• Karen Crutcher, Chairperson, Ft. McDermitt Paiute -Shoshone Tribes
• Juana Majel Dixon, Council Member, Pauma Band of Mission Indians
• Rochanne Downs, Vice Chair, Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribes
• Cecilia Fire Thunder, Former President, Oglala Sioux Tribe
• Steve Frank, Chairman, Summit Lake Paiute Tribe
• Matthew Franklin, Chairman, Ione Band of Miwok Indians
• Davis Gonzales, Chairman, Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone
• Norm Harry, Former Tribal Chair, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe
• Sonia Johnston, Vice Chairwoman, Juaneno Band of Mission Indians
• Rachel Joseph, Former Chairwoman and former Vice Chairwoman, Lone Pine Paiute Shoshone Tribe of CA
• Vivian Lee, Chairwoman, Hoh Tribe of Washington
• Andrew Masiel, Sr., Tribal Councilman, Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians
• Susan Masten, Former Chairperson, Yurok Tribe
• Arlan Melendez, Chairman, Reno-Sparks Indian Colony
• Rebecca Miles, Vice Chair, Nez Perce Tribe
• Rosemary Morillo, Vice Chair, Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians
• Ed Naranjo, Vice Chair, Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation
• Kyle Prior, Chairman, Duck Valley Shoshone Paiute Tribes
• Miranda Quintero, Vice Chair, Walker River Paiute Tribe
• Alma Ransom, Former Chief, St. Regis Mohawk
• Jonette Reyes, Vice Chair, Hoh Tribe of Washington
• Kenneth Richardson, Health Director, Walker River Paiute Tribe
• David K. Sprague, Chairman, Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians (Gun Lake Tribe)
• Lloyd Tortalita, Former Governor, Pueblo of Acoma
• Lynn Valbuena, Former Chairwoman, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
• Leanne Walker-Grant, Chairperson, Table Mountain Rancheria
• Genia Williams, Chair, Walker River Paiute Tribe

Tribal Members

• Genia Williams, Walker River Paiute Tribe
• Kendall Allen, Hoopa Valley Tribe
• Michael Anderson, Muscogee (Creek) Nation
• Carrie Day Aspinnall, Minnesota Chippewa Tribe
• Candice Ballinger, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians
• Lacey Ballinger, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians
• David Beaulieu, Minnesota Chippewa Tribe - White Earth
• Lavina Bewers, Yurok Tribe
• Allison Binney, Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians
• M. Sharon Blackwell, Omaha and Muscogee (Creek)
• Jaime Boggs, Robinson Rancheria of Pomo Indians
• Denise Chamblin, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians
• Don Champagne, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa
• Janet Erickson, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate
• Lucinda Garcia, Pascua Yaqui
• Jennifer Giff, Gila River Indian Community
• Michelle Glazier, Walker River Paiute Tribe
• Natalie Hemlock, Seneca Nation of Indians
• Veronica Homer, Colorado River Indian Tribes
• Emily Johnson, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
• Julie Johnson, Makah Tribe
• Gay Kingman, Cheyenne River Sioux
• Elizabeth Kronk, Sault Ste. Marie
• Daris Laffoon, Colorado River Indian Tribes
• Vickie Laffoon, Colorado River Indian Tribes
• Nicci Lehto, Prairie Island Indian Community
• Rodney Lewis, Gila River Indian Community
• Yolanda Lockwood, Walker River Paiute Tribe
• Cheryl Lohman, Round Valley Indian Tribe
• Holly Cook Macarro, Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians
• Allie Greenleaf Maldonado, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
• Elveda Martinez, Walker River Paiute Tribe
• DeAnna Meetze, Morongo Band of Mission Indians
• Joyce Melendez, Reno-Sparks Indian Colony
• Debra Morrison, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians
• Phyllis Naranjo, Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation
• Dawn Renee Peel, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians
• Lenore Potter, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians
• Lynn Dee Rapp, Wa Sioux
• Geoffrey Roth, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
• Lynn Sampson, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
• Mary Smith, Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma
• Elizabeth Throgmorton, Choctaw Nation
• Loretta Tuell, Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho
• Louira Waco, Paiute
• Don Wanatee, Sac and Fox Tribe of Iowa
• Lora Wilber, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
• Wilbur Wilkinson, Mandan, Hidatsa, & Arikara Nations
• Ryan Wilson, Oglala Sioux Tribe
• Nancy Wood, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians