Christopher L. Clark Deschene is a member of the Navajo Nation

Navajo Nation

The Navajo Nation is a semi-autonomous Native American-governed territory covering , occupying all of northeastern Arizona, the southeastern portion of Utah, and northwestern New Mexico...

 and was the Democratic Party

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

's candidate for Secretary of State

Secretary of State of Arizona

The Secretary of State of Arizona is an elected position in the U.S. state of Arizona. Since Arizona has no lieutenant governor, the Secretary stands first in the line of succession to the governorship. The Secretary also serves as acting governor whenever the governor is incapacitated or out of...

 in Arizona

Arizona

Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...

 in 2010. He is the first member of a Native American

Native Americans in the United States

Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...

 nation to have run for the second highest office in the state.

Biography

Deschene was born in California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, but moved with his parents, a homemaker from Dennehotso

Dennehotso, Arizona

Dennehotso is a census-designated place in Apache County, Arizona, United States. The population was 734 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Dennehotso is located at ....

 and a welder from the area North of Tuba City

Tuba City, Arizona

Tuba City is a census-designated place in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. The population was 8,225 at the 2000 census. It is the Dine' Nation's largest community, slightly larger than Shiprock, New Mexico. The Hopi town of Moenkopi lies directly to its southeast.The name of the town...

, to Lechee

Lechee, Arizona

Lechee is a census-designated place in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. The population was 1,606 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lechee is located at...

 where he spent his youth; he attended High School in nearby Page

Page, Arizona

Page is a city in Coconino County, Arizona, United States, near the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 6,794.-Geography:Page is located at ....

. After graduating from High School in 1989, Deschene attended the United States Naval Academy

United States Naval Academy

The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...

 from which he graduated in 1993 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a commission as a 2nd LT in the United States Marine Corps

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

. His grandfather was a Navaho code talker during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. Deschene was deployed on several missions overseas, including the Persian Gulf

Persian Gulf

The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...

 and Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...

.

Deschene attended Arizona State University

Arizona State University

Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...

, graduating with a law degree and a Masters degree in Science Engineering and subsequently co-founded Law Office of Schaff & Clark Deschene, specializing in questions of energy infrastructure.

Political career

Deschene has been a member of the Arizona State Legislature since 2009, representing District 2. He is a member of both the Committee for Natural Resources and Rural Affairs and the Committee for Water and Energy. Prior to his election to the legislature, he was the chair of the Apache County

Apache County, Arizona

-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*23.3% White*0.2% Black*72.9% Native American*0.3% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.0% Two or more races*1.3% Other races*5.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...

Democratic Party from 2007 to 2008 and the chair of the Native American Democratic Caucus. In 2010, he won the Democratic Party's nomination for secretary of state, beating Sam Wercinski with 62.7% vs. 37.3% of the votes.