Warren gains Haaland endorsement hours before second debate #NativeVote20

Rep. Debra Haaland, Laguna Pueblo, endorses Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, along with other lawmakers on Tuesday.

“I’m very proud to endorse Elizabeth Warren for president because it is time for the American people to have a champion,” said Haaland.

It doesn’t come at a surprise that Haaland endorsed Warren as a presidential candidate due to their relationship since Haaland’s congressional campaign.

However, the timing is convenient. Warren is set to be on stage tonight for the first night of the Second Democratic debate.

Haaland said she considers Warren a good friend and colleague back in February at the 24th Annual National Indian Women’s “Supporting Each Other” Honoring Luncheon in Washington. They got to know each other during the New Mexico representative’s campaign. Warren endorsed Haaland during her route to Congress.

(ICYMI: Women honor each other with hugs, selfies & advice for the future)

Haaland helped introduce Warren at the luncheon with a few remarks.

“She has always made it a priority to ensure the legislation she writes and speaks on is good for Native communities,” Haaland said at the luncheon. “Indian Country needs strong allies like Elizabeth Warren whose unwavering commitment to Native American communities and Native American women and children are needed in this political era.”

Haaland even said that they were “actively working on solutions to the short-falls in funding for Indian Country.”

Now the endorsement makes Haaland’s support official and states some legislation they’ve been tackling since.

“We’ve worked together to introduce legislation that demands a solution to unsafe military housing, tackles the opioid crisis, and provides universal child care. Elizabeth has been a great friend to me and a great partner for Indian Country,” Haaland said. “She has made it a priority to address some of the most challenging issues facing working families, including an economy that works for everyone, student loan debt, and the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women. As a single mom, who is still paying off my student loans, I understand the challenges so many of us face and Elizabeth is the person who will deliver real change for families across the country.”

Indian Country is intrigued about the endorsement.

However, some are not happy.

One Twitter user tweeted, "She's not Cherokee so the fact our identity is repeatedly stolen and used for personal gain by people probably doesn't bother her much though the $300 mil in gov contracts to white ppl pretending to be Cherokee should show why Warren & false claims are a problem."

Other congressional endorsements include Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Arizona, Rep. Andy Levin, D-Michigan, Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Massachusetts, Rep. Joe Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Massachusetts, Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Massachusetts, and Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Massachusetts.

Twenty of the 25 Democratic candidates qualified for the debate tonight and tomorrow night. The group will be split into two groups again.

Here are candidates for the first night appearing from left to right onstage, according to CBS News:

Marianne Wiliamson

Tim Ryan

Amy Klobuchar

Pete Buttigieg

Bernie Sanders

Elizabeth Warren

Beto O’Rourke

John Hickenlooper

John Delaney

Steve Bullock

Here is the list of candidates for the second night:

Michael Bennet

Joe Biden

Cory Booker

Julián Castro

Bill de Blasio

Tulsi Gabbard

Kirsten Gillibrand

Kamala Harris

Jay Inslee

Andrew Yang

Mayor Wayne Messam, Tom Steyer, Rep. Seth Moulton, former Sen. Mike Gavel, and former Rep. Joe Sestak did not qualify for the debate.

If you watch:

DATES: Tuesday, July 30 and Wednesday, July 31

TIME: 8 p.m. EST / 5 p.m. PST

WHERE: Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan

TV CHANNEL: CNN

ONLINE: CNN.com, CNN apps, fuboTV (as a free trial)

Indian Country Today Live Tweeting:

Follow the Indian Country Today editorial team as they live-tweet the debate using #NativeVote20: @IndianCountry, @TrahantReports, @WiteSpider, @jourdanbb, @KDKW_406

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Jourdan Bennett-Begaye, Diné, is a reporter/producer for Indian Country Today in Washington, D.C. Follow her on Twitter: @jourdanbb. Email: jbennett-begaye@indiancountrytoday.com