Full Profile · From the Interview Record
Shaquille Begay
B · From the record Summaries are drawn from Cal Nez’s interview. Quotations are not published until checked against the recording. How we verify →
Updated
Round 2 interview added — Shaquille Begay returned for a follow-up interview with Cal Nez before the primary. Read the round 2 answers · watch the video.
Candidate Snapshot
Background & Why They’re Running
See the topics below for what was covered in the interview.
Where Shaquille Begay Stands
Each topic below is drawn from the interview — the question Cal asked, and a short summary of the answer, generated by AI from the interview recording.
Long-Term Economic Strategy
Cal asked: How would you make decisions for the whole Nation?
Begay argued the Nation only addresses the next three to four years and must instead plan strategically for the next 10, 20, 30, even 50 years — running a profitability and return assessment on legislation and purchases (how much is spent, and how many years to earn it back).
Higher Education Funding
Cal asked: Would you support free college for Navajo students?
Rather than free tuition, Begay favors service-commitment agreements — too many students earn degrees and don't return, so funding would be tied to a commitment to come back and serve; he would pursue it through legislation, partnerships, and updating ONSFA.
Health Care & 638 Oversight
Cal asked: Where does health-care revenue come from, and how do you feel about privatization?
Begay explained that roughly 70–75% of facility revenue comes from AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid), per his estimate, with a smaller share from private insurance and other third parties, with a smaller share from third-party billing; he's not opposed to a private practice in principle (638 itself is non-profit) but would judge it on market need. He called for stronger HEHSC oversight, citing concerns about provider vetting and weak oversight.
Executive-Legislative Conflict
Cal asked: How would you resolve the standoff?
As someone who isn't a Nation employee, Begay said he would approach it unbiased — meet with the President, get both viewpoints, and build the budget on long-term strategic planning rather than the four-year cycle.
Vetting Contracts & Failed Purchases
Cal asked: How would you handle big contracts?
Pointing to failures like ZenniHome and the deteriorating Washington, D.C. building, Begay said he wouldn't vote quickly — he would assess each company's origin, expertise, portfolio, and completed jobs first.
The NBOA & Business Structure
Cal asked: What is the Navajo Business Opportunity Act, and which business entity would you trust?
Begay explained the NBOA gives Navajo-owned businesses first preference and walked through the ownership tiers; he would prioritize Navajo-owned firms and said he'd favor a corporation (with a board of directors for oversight) over an LLC — noting ZenniHome was an LLC.
In Their Own Words
Verbatim from the interview (auto-transcribed; lightly trimmed for length):
“The way I see the Navajo Nation is that we're just only addressing issues short term, like what's in front of us for the next three years.”
Topics in the Interview
- Long-Term Economic Strategy
- Higher Education Funding
- Health Care & 638 Oversight
- Executive-Legislative Conflict
- Vetting Contracts & Failed Purchases
- The NBOA & Business Structure