Minnesota's Tribal organizations are weighing in on the potential of Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan becoming governor amid Governor Tim Walz's run for Vice President with current VP Kamala Harris.
Flanagan would make history if she steps in for Governor Walz, becoming the state's first female and Native American Governor.
Rayette Peltier with the American Indian Family Center says its an exciting prospect.
"It would mean everything in terms of having that representation overall for those young ones to be able to look up to Peggy Flanagan," Peltier said.
If that does happen, Peltier hopes certain issues plaguing the native community would rise in importance.
"The one that stands out is more help for our relatives, for the are the MMIW, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women," Peltier explained.
In recent years, Minnesota has integrated Tribal government into numerous decision-making aspects of the state, a trend expected to continue under Flanagan.
"You see so many unhoused relatives on the streets, and as well as something in place to help those that are struggling with substance use disorder too," says Peltier.
Flanagan has been the highest-ranking Native American official in the U.S. since she was elected as lieutenant governor in 2018.
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One of the speakers at the DFL breakfast at the Democratic National Convention Tuesday was the U.S Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, the first Native American woman cabinet member in U.S. history.
Minnesota delegate Melanie Benjamin is from Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. As their former Chief Executive, she says it's imperative that they have a solid working relationship with the government.
"We want to be respected and recognized for our inherent sovereignty, we want to have a strong government to government relationship with the federal government, with the president, the vice president and all the administration," says Benjamin.
She says issues that are important to them are, among other things, housing, healthcare, education, missing and murdered indigenous women, and economic development.