Navajo Election Features No Pro-Coal Candidate

Sitting President Buu Nygren failed to advance past the primary after backing the coal industry, which remains the tribe's economic mainstay.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections

Navajo Election Features No Pro-Coal Candidate

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Do you think your local economy is getting better or worse with coal jobs?

No candidate in the Navajo Nation presidential election supports the coal industry, which has long been the tribe's economic bedrock. Sitting President Buu Nygren did not advance past the primary after promising in January to keep the reservation's last remaining coal mine open.

Why it matters

The result signals a shift in voter priorities within a nation of nearly half a million enrolled members, where coal has supported generations of livelihoods. Nygren's support for coal reportedly hurt his reelection chances, according to a University of Arizona assistant professor's account of voter conversations.

The primary elimination of Nygren and 13 other candidates, out of 14 total, is drawn from the tribe's primary results, though exact vote counts were not reported. The general election between Justin Jones and Crystalyne Curley remains unresolved.

The players

Buu Nygren

Buu Nygren is the sitting president of the Navajo Nation, a Democrat who served as a delegate to the 2024 Democratic National Convention, and he failed to advance past the primary.

Justin Jones

Justin Jones is an attorney and former liaison for a coal mine in New Mexico who opposes coal mining and advanced to the general election.

Crystalyne Curley

Crystalyne Curley is the current speaker of the Navajo Nation Council who advanced to the general election against Justin Jones.

Donald Trump

Donald Trump is the current President of the United States, whose administration recently approved the last remaining coal mine on the Navajo reservation for expansion.

The details

Justin Jones, an attorney and former liaison for a New Mexico coal mine, advanced from the primary to face Crystalyne Curley, the current speaker of the Navajo Nation Council, in the general election. Jones opposes coal mining, while Curley said coal is dying and not coming back. Nygren had taken a selfie with President Trump at the White House last year when Trump signed an executive order aimed at saving the coal industry.

Last year: Nygren took a selfie with President Trump at the White House during the signing of an executive order aimed at saving the coal industry.
January: Nygren promised in his annual address to keep the last remaining coal mine on the reservation open.
Recently: The Trump administration approved the last remaining coal mine on the reservation for expansion.
November 2, 2026: Coverage of the Navajo presidential election and the candidates' coal positions was published.

Political Context

The Trump executive order aimed at saving the coal industry sought to revive a fuel that Navajo voters now appear to be turning away from. Opposition in this race centers on the view that coal is no longer viable, a position that stands against the federal effort to keep the reservation's last mine operating.

The outcome will determine whether the Navajo Nation keeps the last reservation coal mine open or shifts its economic direction away from coal. Residents whose jobs and tribal revenue depend on mining will see the consequences directly in the next administration's policies.

The takeaway

The Navajo election shows that even in communities where coal has long been the economic foundation, voters may prioritize a different future. Watching how the general election plays out will reveal whether this is a lasting shift in tribal priorities.

What happens next

The general election between Justin Jones and Crystalyne Curley will determine the next Navajo Nation president; the date of that vote was not specified in the source.