Eric Descheenie is an American politician who is a former member of the Arizona House of Representatives and a candidate for the 2026 United States House of Representatives election in Arizona's 2nd congressional district. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Early life, education, and career
Descheenie was born in Tuba City, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation in 1978. His family is originally from Chinle, Arizona. Descheenie attended Arizona State University (ASU) and earned his bachelor's degree in sociology. In 2004, he began working at the Arizona Governor's Office of Equal Opportunity under Governor Janet Napolitano. Following this, he became Tribal Liaison for the Arizona Department of Housing, managing the Governor's Tribal Housing Initiative.
Political career In 2016, Descheenie was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives, serving from 2017 to 2018.
In 2018, Descheenie served as a delegate to the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Geneva, Switzerland.
In August 2025, Descheenie announced a campaign for the Democratic nomination for Arizona's 2nd congressional district in the 2026 election.
Elections 2016 – Descheenie and Wenona Benally were unopposed in the Democratic Primary and the general election. 2014 – Descheenie lost the District 7 senate Democratic primary to incumbent Carlyle Begay. Begay would later switch to the Republican Party in 2015.
Personal life Descheenie is a single father to three children.
References
External links Campaign website Biography at Ballotpedia Vote Smart