Myron Lizer
Interviewed by Cal Nez — Politics on the Navajo Nation (2026)
Candidate Snapshot
Office SoughtPresident, Navajo Nation
Home ChapterGanado (born); Fort Defiance (raised)
LanguagesEnglish (limited Diné Bizaad, disclosed)
Executive Summary
Former VP of Navajo Nation (2019–2023, with Jonathan Nez). 35+ years business management. Platform: economic sovereignty, MBOA enforcement, housing innovation (3D printing), veterans housing, 638 governance with board accountability, energy development. Conservative/faith-based philosophy. Navajo-Comanche heritage. Not fluent in Navajo — disclosed openly.
At a Glance
Professional Background
- Vice President, Navajo Nation (2019–2023); Coalition of Large Tribes VP; 35+ years business ownership & management
Leadership Style
- Visionary, entrepreneurial, faith-grounded, conservative-aligned. VP service included COVID response. Acknowledged should have pushed harder on economic development funds during CARES Act.
Biography & Career
Born Ganado, raised Fort Defiance, ties to Coal Mine NM. Comanche mother, Navajo father (neither language at home). Lived in Chandler AZ ~7 years, Bayfield CO ~8 years. 35+ years business. Elected VP with Jonathan Nez in 2018 (68% mandate); inaugurated 2019. COVID-era emergency management. CARES Act: requested $160M for economic development; reduced to small amount. Left office Jan 2023. Pursued 3D home printing via Northern Agency Veterans Organization (33,000 sq ft facility secured).
Standardized Candidate Scorecard
7.3/10
Moderate — interview evidence averageBased on 12 of 12 categories the interview covered
Strong (8.0–10)Moderate (6.5–7.9)Limited (below 6.5)Not assessed (not in interview)
Scores reflect evidence shown in the available interview only — not a comprehensive assessment of the candidate. Categories the interview did not cover are marked "Not assessed" and are left out of the average. How are these scores determined?
Governance Knowledge7.0/10
Brings executive-branch experience and a feel for protocol and hierarchy from serving as vice president, but was noticeably general on structural specifics, needing the host to fill in the government-reform history and the 1989 council power consolidation.
Leadership8.0/10
Genuine top-level executive credential — four years as vice president elected on a 68% mandate, plus 35 years in business — and candid self-assessment, openly admitting he should have pushed harder on his $160M economic-development request during COVID.
Composure & Character8.5/10
Remarkably composed through an interview repeatedly broken by connection failures; humble, faith-forward, and gracious, owning his record rather than deflecting.
Community Engagement7.0/10
Points to front-line COVID service (food and PPE distribution) and partnership with the Northern Agency Veterans Organization, though his orientation leans toward federal relationships more than chapter-level organizing.
Transparency & Accountability7.0/10
Calls for full transparency and accountability from 638 boards and was candid about his own administration's shortcomings, but did not lay out a structural transparency program.
Long-Term Vision7.5/10
Vision-forward — economic sovereignty, permanent Opportunity Zones to draw outside capital, energy development, and a 'Marshall Plan for Indian Country' framing — though heavily oriented around federal engagement.
Economic Development7.5/10
Economic sovereignty as the core: Opportunity Zones, free-enterprise zones on the Nation, recapturing border-town spending, and on-reservation manufacturing, with a federal-investment emphasis.
Healthcare6.5/10
Supports 638 for its flexibility while leveraging an increased IHS budget and federal partners, and flags the Gallup Indian Medical Center's urgent needs, but the discussion stayed fairly surface-level.
Housing8.5/10
His most concrete area: cost-cutting construction via 3D-printed and eco-panel/sweat-equity homes, an on-Nation manufacturing factory (a veterans nonprofit's 25-year lease on a 33,000-sq-ft building), a letter-of-intent for 100 homes, and Jay's Treaty lumber sourcing.
Infrastructure6.0/10
Advocates infrastructure development and energy build-out and flagged the Gallup medical center, but the topic was thin and partly lost to the interview's technical disruptions.
Veterans7.5/10
Passionate and concrete: match the veterans' federal sacrifice, address behavioral/mental health, and build veteran housing through the on-Nation manufacturing partnership while advocating to federal partners.
Education6.5/10
Proposes elevating BIE schools into academies on the Navajo Prep model, especially as the federal Department of Education is wound down — an idea offered more than a detailed plan.
Strengths
Direct VP experience (only candidate with formal executive branch service); 3D home printing initiative operationally advanced (facility secured); MBOA enforcement commitment grounded in 35 years business; COVID leadership documented; intellectual honesty about CARES Act shortfall
Areas for Further Clarification
COVID administration had political complications; limited Navajo fluency (disclosed); conservative/energy alignment may not reflect all NN voters; healthcare social services depth limited
Notable Quotes
"Economic sovereignty — I could elaborate on that."
"I should have pushed harder. That 160 million got dwindled down."
"Make the homes cheaper so we can build more homes."
"Under a Lizer administration, we would make it a priority to ensure the MBOA is followed."
"Buy Navajo, buy local — that has been my stance."
Candidate Resources
Others Running for President
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Primary source: Official Cal Nez interview, Politics on the Navajo Nation (2026). Production Standard: Diné Civic Center Candidate Page Publication Standard v2.0.
This candidate page was produced by the Diné Civic Center based on the candidate's public interview with Cal Nez (Politics on the Navajo Nation, 2026 election cycle). All observations are based on publicly available information and the candidate's own statements. The Diné Civic Center does not endorse, rank, or recommend any candidate for any office. This page is provided as a civic education resource for Navajo Nation voters.
