Overview:
Jonathan Nez is criticizing Rep. Eli Crane for supporting the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and Trump’s military actions as the national debt surpasses $40 trillion. Nez argues that Crane’s votes will increase the debt while cutting programs such as Medicaid and SNAP and providing substantial tax benefits to wealthy Americans.
Native Vote 2026
Democratic nominee for Arizona’s 2nd congressional district Jonathan Nez, the former prsident of the Navajo Nation, is criticizing his opponent, Rep. Eli Crane, over his support for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and President Donald Trump’s military actions, as the nation’s federal debt surpasses $40 trillion.
Nez argues that Crane’s votes for the legislation and continued military spending are adding to the national debt while working families face rising costs and cuts to critical programs.
“Congressman Eli Crane voted to recklessly jam this legislation through Congress at the expense of hard-working Arizonans. It’s not hard to see why: He himself is a millionaire who lives in a gated community and stands to benefit from the deep tax cuts,” Nez said.
“As usual, working families will be hurt by these tax breaks for millionaires because we bear the cost of a bill that slashes funding for SNAP and Medicaid. Congressman Crane clearly isn’t concerned about our nation’s growing debt because he’s more focused on appeasing his billionaire donors in Washington.”
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Crane supported, includes major tax changes while reducing funding for programs including Medicaid and SNAP. The legislation is projected to increase federal deficits by trillions of dollars over the coming years.
Nez also pointed to the cost of the war in Iran, which he said has already surpassed $37.5 billion. Those expenditures are being incurred as American consumers continue to face high prices.
Nez said the bill’s largest tax benefits will go to wealthy Americans, including billionaires, while providing substantially less benefit to most residents of Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District.
Rising federal debt can also put pressure on interest rates, increasing borrowing costs for governments, businesses and households. Higher rates can make mortgages, business loans and consumer credit more expensive.
At the same time, a growing share of federal spending must go toward servicing the national debt. Nez said that money could otherwise be directed toward infrastructure, national defense, health care, children’s programs and other federal priorities.
Crane has previously described himself as a fiscally responsible lawmaker and has called for Congress to pass “fiscally responsible budgets.” Nez argues that Crane’s support for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act contradicts that position because of the legislation’s projected impact on federal deficits and the national debt.
With the federal debt now exceeding $40 trillion, Nez said taxpayers will ultimately bear the cost of Washington’s continued borrowing.
“The choices made in Washington have real consequences for Arizona families,” Nez said, arguing that lawmakers should prioritize fiscal responsibility and investments that benefit working families rather than policies that disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Americans.
