Deb Haaland, candidate for New Mexico Governor
Name: Deb Haaland
Age: 65
Party: Democratic
Occupation: Former United States Secretary of the Interior
Relevant Experience
Former Congresswoman for New Mexico CD-1 and former U.S. Interior Secretary.
Personal
Deb Haaland went from running a salsa business and relying on SNAP and Medicaid as a single mother to serving in Congress and as U.S. Secretary of the Interior. She comes from a military family who taught her how to work with anyone, and she was recognized in Congress for her strong record of working with both parties. She delivered major investments in New Mexico's water and energy infrastructure and created good-paying jobs. As Governor, she will bring both parties together to tackle crime, expand healthcare access, and lower costs for housing and groceries.
If you are elected, what are your priorities for New Mexico?
As Governor, I will be laser-focused on the needs of working families in New Mexico. My vision includes lowering costs by holding big corporations accountable, improving education with early reading interventions and trades in schools, making communities safer with tools for law enforcement and addressing root causes of crime, and improving healthcare access with a public option.
What is your position on data centers?
On day one of my administration, I will issue an executive order placing a moratorium on new large-scale data center projects until we have robust, necessary accountability measures in place. These measures will protect our natural resources and our communities. I have proposed guidelines that will provide more predictability and certainty for businesses, while ensuring that they are operating transparently and responsibly.
I am proposing the following protections for New Mexico communities:
- No backroom deals, strong community benefits
- No utility rate increases & reliable energy for New Mexicans
- Protect New Mexico’s water
- New Mexico jobs for New Mexico workers
- Expand renewable energy
- Clean air, land, and habitat
- Clean up your mess
- Accountable to communities
More information about the protections I have proposed can be found on my website.
What are your plans to ensure transparency and make sure you are accessible to constituents?
I’ve spent my career bringing people together, and ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table. As Governor, I will continue to bring Tribes, communities, and stakeholders together to find solutions that work for everyone. Making myself available to the people of New Mexico is at the heart of my approach: I launched this campaign with a statewide tour, and I visited all 33 counties in my first six months as a candidate. I plan to have a cabinet that will be present in every part of the state. I will also support Stephanie Garcia Richard in her efforts to serve as an ombudsman for the Governor's Office where she will build on the Lieutenant Governor’s role and provide constituent services to New Mexicans in every corner of the state.
What makes you the best candidate?
I have the experience. I’ve already managed one of the largest departments in the federal government — it’s a workforce of 70,000 and an $18 billion annual budget. I did that for four years.
I was a member of Congress. I got five bills signed into law by President Trump. I implemented two of those bills after I passed them in the Department of the Interior.
I was a tribal administrator. I was an organizer here in New Mexico. I’ve traveled extensively to under-represented communities and to every tribal community to register voters.
As Governor, I will stand up to Donald Trump and ICE so that we can focus on our biggest challenges – reducing crime, bettering education, improving our healthcare, and bringing down prices on everything from housing to weekly groceries.
