Justin Jones and Crystalyne Curley, the two candidates for Navajo Nation president, are set to debate Friday, Sept. 25, at Navajo Technical University’s Wellness Center in Crownpoint, New Mexico. Their vice-presidential running mates will also participate.
Among 16 contenders in the July 21 primary, Jones led with 15,039 votes and Curley placed second with 8,424. Incumbent President Buu Nygren finished third with 7,410, ending his bid for a second four-year term. The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.
Jones’s running mate is Emily Ellison; Curley’s is Chris Deschene. Jones has described the government as in crisis, arguing that corruption, bureaucracy and failures to enforce laws have contributed to dysfunction; he calls for changes to government operations and services. Curley emphasizes her experience inside Navajo government as important to making changes. The debate will be livestreamed on NTU’s YouTube channel and broadcast on Skyhawk Radio KCZY 107.3 FM.
