Midterms will see first Native American nationwide TV coverage

A record year for the number of Native Americans running for elective office in the United States will also mean another kind of history, a broadcast first.

Three national media organizations, FNX | First Nations Experience, Native Voice One, and Indian Country Today, are joining to broadcast the first ever live national coverage of the midterm election night, Nov. 6, focusing on the 103 Native Americans who are running for Congress, governor, lieutenant governor, as well as state legislatures.

There will also be reports from Indian Country Today contributors from the candidates’ campaign headquarters, as well as other locations across the country.

FNX | First Nations Experience will broadcast “Native Election Night Live” from its studios in San Bernardino, California, starting at 6 p.m. PT.

The election desk will be anchored by Mark Trahant, editor of Indian Country Today, and the expert on American Indians and Alaska Natives who running for office. Trahant began collecting the names of Native candidates several years ago for his then independent blog, Trahant Reports. Trahant is a citizen of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes.

Antonia Gonzales is the anchor and producer of National Native News which airs on tribal and public radio stations across the United States and Canada. The program has won numerous awards for covering social, economic and cultural issues, which impact Indigenous people worldwide. Gonzales is a member of the Navajo Nation.

“A record number of Native candidates are on ballots across America this year,” said Micah Wright, Content Manager for FNX. “As America’s only Native-themed broadcast television network, it’s our responsibility to inform the public about the political advances of all our tribal peoples. It’s especially gratifying that we get to do it in coordination with our fellow Native news organizations.” Wright is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

“This election year is already historical. There has never been a Native American woman elected to the Congress — and now there are three viable candidates,” said Trahant. “We want our readers, the viewers of FNX, and the listeners from Native Voice One, to get the information about this extraordinary moment in real time. This is a moment that we don’t want to miss.”

“Native Voice One is excited to join in broadcasting the live results of election night, in partnership with FNX and Indian Country Today,” said Bob Petersen, Yu’pik Eskimo, network manager for NV1. “Listeners will have the opportunity to hear the Native voice represented on this historic date in American history through the live multi-hour, multi-platform broadcast across the country.”