Joe Shirley, Jr.

Infobox President


imagesize = 150px
name=flagicon|USA Joe Shirley Jr.
order = 6th
office = President of the Navajo Nation
term_start = January 20, 2003
term_end = January 19, 2011
vice_president = Ben Shelly
predecessor = Kelsey A. Begaye
successor = Incumbent
birth_date = 1947
birth_place = Chinle, Arizona
nationality = flagicon|USA American
party = Democrat
spouse = Vicki Shirley
occupation =Executive Director of the Navajo Division of Social Services
residence = Window Rock, Arizona
religion = Native American Church

Dr. Joe Shirley, Jr. (born December 1947) is a Native American politician who is the current President of the Navajo Nation. He is of the Navajo Tribe and is from Chinle, Arizona. He was elected in November 2002.

Navajo Nation President

In 2002, Joe Shirley ran for the Presidency of the Navajo Nation and defeated incumbent President Kelsey Begaye. He was inaugurated as the President of the Navajo Nation in January 2003.

In November 2006, President Shirley selected the Council Delegate from Thoreau, New Mexico, Ben Shelly as his Vice Presidential runningmate during his second bid for the Navajo Executive Office. Former New Mexico State Representative, Lynda Lovejoy was his opponent during the 2006 Navajo Nation Election. By a small majority of the popular vote, Joe Shirley and Ben Shelly were elected. They were inaugurated in January 2007.

On January 31, 2008, he announced his endorsement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in the latter's race for the White House [RGJ. [http://news.rgj.com//apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080131/NEWS18/80131051 Navajo president endorses Clinton] January 31, 2008] . He stated that he believed Clinton would best protect tribal sovereignty and the Navajo way of life.

ources

* [http://www.nnwo.org/shirley.htm "Honorable Joe Shirley, Jr. - Navajo Nation President", URL accessed 10/21/06] .
* [http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1036940123 "Joe Shirley elected Navajo Nation President"] .
* [http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096414498 "Navajo President Vetoes Gaming Enterprises] , URL access 02/14/07.

References