Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland Wins New Mexico Democratic Primary for Governor

Deb Haaland secured the Democratic nomination for New Mexico governor on Tuesday, defeating Sam Bregman in the primary and setting up a November general election against Republican Greggory Hull, a former three-time mayor of Rio Rancho who won a three-way primary. Haaland, who served as Interior Secretary under President Biden and was among the first Native American women elected to Congress, would make history as the first Native American woman governor if she wins. New Mexico's leftward lean over the past decade makes her the general election favorite. In her victory speech, Haaland immediately invoked President Trump, framing her candidacy as a defense against federal policy rollbacks, and a forthcoming memoir states Trump's reelection motivated her run. Hull, by contrast, made no mention of Trump and focused his campaign on criticizing Democratic governance, citing high crime, poor educational outcomes, and poverty, while also targeting Haaland's past opposition to oil and gas development — a critical industry that funds much of New Mexico's public services. The race has drawn significant attention from Native advocacy groups, who see Haaland's candidacy as a milestone for representation, though Hull's campaign has highlighted that Native voters are not politically monolithic, with some tribal communities favoring energy development over the drilling moratoriums Haaland imposed as Interior Secretary.