The Case Against Eli Crane

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To: Interested Parties
From: Lindsay Reilly, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: July 21, 2026
Subject: The Case Against Eli Crane

Eli Crane represents everything that’s wrong with politics in Washington. Beholden to the D.C. party leaders who fund his campaign, Crane has consistently voted to make life harder for rural Arizonans. Crane cast a key vote to gut health care and food assistance, both devastating blows to his overwhelmingly rural district that’s already plagued by food deserts and limited access to health care. Crane was also one of the only members of Congress, on either side of the aisle, to vote against lowering housing costs. Crane has also consistently opposed sending federal dollars back home to AZ-02 to improve roads, build bridges, or strengthen water security – at the same time he’s backing massive hikes to the federal debt to pay for tax breaks for billionaires. At every step, Crane chooses to make life more expensive for his constituents, all while living roughly an hour away from the district’s borders in a gated community in a wealthy Oro Valley neighborhood.

Jonathan Nez is the rural leader Arizonans deserve in Congress. The former President of the Navajo Nation, Jonathan has experience working with both Democratic and Republican Administrations to deliver for rural families. Jonathan will work with anyone – businesses, local groups, Republicans, Democrats, Independents – to get the job done for his community. Jonathan is running for Congress to give rural Arizona a voice and fight for the things that matter most for people in the Second District: water security, affordable health care, better jobs, and lower prices.

Jonathan’s candidacy puts Arizona’s Second Congressional District firmly on the map. Jonathan shocked the country last cycle when he overperformed former Vice President Kamala Harris in the district with little to no outside help, while Crane underperformed Donald Trump by roughly six points. Home to 14 of Arizona’s 22 federally recognized tribes, roughly 20% of the people in AZ-02 are Native American – a voting block that overwhelmingly broke for Jonathan in 2024. Jonathan is continuing to garner attention this cycle, having raised more than $3.5 million to date and statistically tying Crane in a recent poll of AZ-02 voters. In a midterm election year where Democrats are overperforming in congressional special elections by roughly 17 points, AZ-02 is absolutely in play with Jonathan on the ticket.

A D.C. Insider Who Puts The Well-Off and Well-Connected First

Eli Crane’s allegiance to the D.C. Swamp was on display when he wavered on holding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplices accountable. Despite declaring that “transparency matters,” Crane “backtracked on the issue” and “was noncommittal” about forcing a vote to release all files related to Epstein – even though hundreds of other members of Congress had signed onto a petition to do just that. As the Arizona Republic reported at the time, Crane’s “silen[ce]” came at the same time D.C. party leaders were trying to bury the findings in a committee – evidence that Crane is taking orders from D.C. party bosses, not from Arizonans.

Crane went to Congress promising to fight for Arizona, but he’s done nothing but fall in line and obey the D.C. party bosses who fund his campaign. Take it from Crane himself, who accepted roughly $600,000 from D.C. party leadership last year: “You become part of the team and you fall in line and basically do what you’re told… then the apparatus or the establishment will come and get your back and protect you.” Crane has been doing “what [he’s been] told” at the direct expense of Arizonans – voting in line with D.C. party bosses to explode the national debt, cut taxes for billionaires, kick rural Arizonans off their health care, and greenlight another forever war in Iran that’s hiking costs here at home.

Now a D.C. insider himself, Crane abandoned his principles and broke his promise to rein in the national debt. Despite previously warning that “our national debt is over $34 trillion, and eventually this house of cards will collapse” and that it’s “imperative that we tackle the unsustainable spending of the federal government,” Crane voted to explode the deficit by $3.4 trillion over the next decade to pay for permanent tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. Crane has also voted at least four times to greenlight another reckless forever war, this time in Iran. The Crane-backed conflict has already cost taxpayers nearly $150 billion, or roughly $1,100 per household, with no end in sight. Crane has made clear that he doesn’t actually care about the debt; he cares about pleasing D.C. party leadership.

Unlike Crane, Jonathan doesn’t sit around waiting for partisan bosses to give him an order, and is already regarded for his ability to work with anyone to put his community and their priorities first. As President of the Navajo Nation, Jonathan worked with leaders of both parties, including the Trump Administration, to deliver for Arizona. He also served alongside a Republican Vice President, demonstrating that he’ll work with anyone to get results for Arizonans.

A Rubberstamp For a Reckless, Cost-Hiking Agenda

Eli Crane’s tenure in Washington has been defined by his willingness to hike costs on rural Arizonans, including by gutting food assistance and health care. Crane’s vote to cut health care via the Big, Ugly Bill is particularly devastating for rural Arizonans, with at least four hospitals or clinics at risk of closing in AZ-02 – the most of any House district in the state – because of the new law. Crane’s health care cuts are already cited as a key reason why Northern Arizona Healthcare decided against three possible new hospital sites in or around AZ-02. At the same time hospitals are at risk, Crane’s decision to cut Medicaid, which roughly 1 in 3 of his constituents depend on, is set to jack up costs for Arizonans. Crane also backed eliminating crucial tax credits that help Arizonans afford health care on the insurance marketplace, a policy choice that could spike health care costs in his district by a staggering 416%, on average, for a 60-year-old couple making $85,000 a year. Since Crane’s vote, more than 107,000 Arizonans lost their health insurance – the third highest drop-off in the nation.

On top of his cuts to health care, Crane’s cuts to food aid has led to roughly half of all SNAP recipients in Arizona losing access to food assistance, including nearly 200,000 kids. Even before Crane voted for the largest cuts to SNAP in history, roughly 17% of Arizonans in Crane’s rural district struggled to put food on the table. Crane’s food assistance cuts are worsening the crisis for everyone, as rural grocers are at risk of “severe financial hardship” in a district already plagued by “food deserts.”

In addition to gutting health care and food assistance, Crane has consistently voted against bipartisan proposals to lower housing costs for Arizonans. Crane was one of a handful of members to oppose the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a bill to make it easier for families to purchase a home by modernizing local development and rural housing programs. Crane also voted against the bipartisan Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act, which would cut bureaucratic red tape to make homeownership more attainable on tribal lands, despite representing a district that’s roughly 20% Native American.

Crane has also been a rubberstamp for reckless, cost-hiking tariffs that are costing Arizona families and small businesses. Despite Arizonans paying more for groceries, utilities, and other household necessities due to tariffs, Crane says he’s “very supportive” of them, even calling tariffs “a very good move.” When pressed on the cost-raising tariffs’ increasing unpopularity, Crane had the audacity to double down: “I agree with the policy.” Meanwhile, Arizonans are expected to pay an extra $2,500 this year because of Crane’s careless tariffs.

Crane’s cost-hiking agenda also includes greenlighting a reckless war of choice in Iran. Crane’s forever war has already forced Arizonans to pay $450 more on energy. Gas prices in Arizona are on track to break “all-time records” if the war drags on, potentially surging to up to $6 a gallon – a devastating blow to rural Arizonans in Crane’s district who already have to drive long distances. Arizonans are understandably upset about high gas prices, with a recent survey showing that roughly two in three voters are likely to take gas prices into consideration this November. As if high gas prices weren’t enough of a sting, the Crane-backed conflict is also expected to raise prices on petroleum-based products, including clothes, detergent, and shoes.

Raised on dirt floors with no running water or electricity, Jonathan is a son of rural Arizona. He knows the reality and challenges working Arizonans are going through. Unlike Crane, he’s committed to lowering costs for rural Arizonans on everything from groceries, to gas, to health care.

An Absent “Representative” Who Votes To Make Life Harder For Rural Arizona

Despite representing the most rural district in the state, Eli Crane consistently votes against rural communities. At the same time he’s gutting health care and food assistance for rural Arizonans, Crane is voting to block federal funds from reaching rural communities. Crane voted to defund public media, an essential resource that can serve as the only news source in rural areas. Local advocates have sounded the alarm that Crane’s vote is especially devastating for alerting the public to emergencies, like natural disasters or missing persons. Crane has also voted against strengthening rural Arizona’s water security by opposing legislation to help manage flood risk in Coconino, Yavapai, and Navajo Counties – all of which are located squarely in AZ-02. Moreover, Crane was one of a handful of lawmakers, on either side of the aisle, to vote against making housing more affordable in rural communities. And Crane stayed silent as the Administration pushed to “essentially defund” tribal colleges and universities, even though Crane represents a district with 14 of Arizona’s 22 federal recognized tribes.

In addition to voting against funds for rural Arizona, Crane refuses to use his authority to direct tax dollars back home to his constituents. While Crane has no problem jacking up the national debt to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, he consistently fails to direct federal dollars back home for local projects. Crane is one of the only members of Congress who doesn’t accept “community project funding,” letting tax dollars that could be going back to rural Arizona be spent on other states.

It’s no mystery why Eli Crane has been so disastrous for rural Arizona. Despite Arizona’s Second Congressional District spanning roughly half the state, Crane doesn’t even live within an hour of the district’s borders. Instead, Crane lives in a gated community in a wealthy Oro Valley neighborhood. Crane has also reportedly never held an in-person town hall and has been criticized for largely being “absent” in AZ-02. In stark contrast to Crane, Jonathan Nez understands rural Arizona, shows up, and will always fight for its communities.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

Arizona Daily Sun: ‘Where’s Eli?’ Flagstaff citizens call out Congressman Crane for lack of engagement with community [Arizona Daily Sun, 3/27/25]

Cronkite News: House Republicans send megabill to Trump, setting aside concerns about huge Medicaid cuts and massive deficit impact [Cronkite News, 7/3/25]

“Crane’s district, the biggest in the state, covering all of northeast Arizona, has 275,300 residents on Medicaid —roughly a third of the population.”

“He declined repeated attempts to discuss the impacts on his district and its hospitals.”

Arizona Republic: Letters: Crane says he supports rural Arizona then votes against it [Arizona Republic, 5/12/26]

Reuters: Millions lose food stamps under Trump cuts. Arizona is hardest hit [Reuters, 6/24/26]

Arizona Republic: 3 Arizona Republicans voted no on bipartisan housing bill [Arizona Republic, 6/24/26]

“An aide to Crane did not return a request for comment on his ‘no’ vote.”

National Journal: Dem Poll Shows Tightening Race in Deep Red Territory [National Journal, 6/25/26]

“The deserts of Arizona don’t often see tidal activity, but this fall, Democrats are hoping a blue wave crashes over the state. An internal poll shared exclusively with Hotline found a Democratic challenger within the margin of error in AZ-02.”

Arizona Mirror: Money from GOP leaders is flooding into two Arizona House races. Democrats say that’s telling. [Arizona Mirror, 3/20/26]

Copper Courier: Representation gap: Nez doubles down on Eli Crane’s votes against constituents’ best interests [Copper Courier, 3/25/26]

“This year alone, US Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.)… has voted against two bipartisan bills to make housing more affordable and accessible, including for tribal communities that make up a huge chunk of his constituency.”

NOTUS: This Candidate’s Tribal Background Gave Him Firsthand Experience with Washington [NOTUS, 6/15/26]

“In an interview with NOTUS, Nez, who also served on the Navajo County Board of Supervisors, emphasized his desire to represent all constituents, not just tribe members. He said that as he’s campaigned, he’s sensed discontent among voters — particularly ones from rural areas — about policy decisions that don’t prioritize pressing issues for the district.”

Native News Online: Nez to Crane: Stop Making Health Care More Expensive for Rural Arizonans [Native News Online, 11/13/25]

Arizona Republic: Jonathan Nez gets a boost from Dem leaders in his race for Congress [Arizona Republic, 2/23/26]

PATH TO VICTORY

Jonathan Nez proved in 2024 that there is a path to victory in Arizona’s Second Congressional District. Despite flying under the radar for most of the cycle, Jonathan overperformed former Vice President Kamala Harris in AZ-02. Meanwhile, Crane underperformed Donald Trump – signaling his vulnerability this cycle as an incumbent as Arizonans grow sick of the status quo. In a midterm election year where voters are souring on Crane and D.C. Republicans’ price-hiking agenda and Democrats are overperforming in congressional special elections by roughly 17 points, Jonathan puts AZ-02 squarely on the map.

A prolific fundraiser, Jonathan has already raised more than $3.5 million this cycle to take on Crane – including over $500,000 in the first week of his campaign. Recent polling confirms Jonathan’s momentum on the ground. A June survey showed Jonathan in a statistical dead heat with Crane.

Arizona’s Second Congressional District is home to 14 of Arizona’s 22 federally recognized tribes. A tribal leader who recently served as President of the Navajo Nation, Jonathan is well known among the 20% of AZ-02 residents who are Native American. Indigenous voters overwhelmingly supported Jonathan in the last election, a trend that is likely to continue this November.

With a proven, high-performing candidate like Jonathan Nez on the ticket with even more resources to compete this cycle, and a shifting national environment that favors Democrats, Arizona’s Second Congressional District is firmly in play this cycle.

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