With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, Native voters have an opportunity to shape policies affecting Tribal Nations, from education and health care to treaty rights, water access and public safety.
On Friday, Oct. 16, Native News Online will feature Tom Rodgers, a citizen of the Blackfeet Nation and longtime Washington, D.C., activist and advocate for Native Americans and tribal issues, on Native Bidaské. Rodgers joins host Levi Rickert to discuss what is at stake for Indian Country and why Native political participation matters.
Rodgers argues that advocacy alone is not enough to change federal policy. Tribal Nations and Native communities must also build political influence through organized voting, collective action and representation in the rooms where decisions are made.
The discussion will examine issues with direct consequences for Tribal communities, including federal funding for tribal colleges and universities, treaty-protected water rights, health care, law enforcement and the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People.
For Rodgers, voting is about more than supporting a particular candidate or political party. It is a way for Native people to hold elected officials accountable and push for policies that support their communities, families and future generations.
As election season intensifies, Rodgers encourages Native voters to reject political apathy, organize their communities and make their voices heard at the ballot box.
Watch this episode of Native Bidaské on Friday, October 16, at 12 p.m. ET on Facebook, YouTube, NativeNewsOnline.net, and TikTok.
