Deb Haaland, a candidate for governor of New Mexico, has emphasized her commitment to holding Republicans accountable and addressing the challenges facing residents in the state. In an interview with the Santa Fe New Mexican, Haaland discussed her previous role as Chair of the Democratic Party of New Mexico during a period marked by financial difficulties and electoral setbacks.
Haaland noted that when she assumed leadership, the party was in debt and had suffered losses at the ballot box. She stated, "Obviously, we needed somebody to be a fundraiser also, so that’s what I did. We had lost our state House. [Former Gov. Susana Martinez] was running amok with all the Republicans in the state, and we were in debt. Those were all the things that I felt I needed to go in and work hard to change." According to Haaland, by the end of her tenure she left the party on stable financial ground: "I left our party in a surplus; I left our party with every statewide office held by a Democrat. I left our party in the best possible position that I could have."
Both Haaland and fellow Democratic gubernatorial candidate Sam Bregman previously served as chairs of the Democratic Party of New Mexico. The article highlights their differences, noting Haaland's background as a Native American woman from Laguna Pueblo who describes herself as more reserved and focused on results rather than attention.
Reflecting on her experience as party chair and its relevance to her current campaign for governor, Haaland said: "In 2015, 2016, we had a Republican in office that was really terrible, didn’t care about people and wasn’t afraid of cutting things, cutting behavioral health and cutting things for people who really needed these services," referring to former Governor Susana Martinez.
She drew comparisons between past political challenges and those faced today under national Republican leadership: "We’re dealing with that with Donald Trump right now," Haaland continued. "New Mexico is suffering because of the Medicaid cuts, because of the [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] benefit cuts, because of the cuts to Veterans Affairs and Indian Health Service, you name it." She added: "He is a danger to our country," concluding with her readiness for future political contests: "So in much the same way that I was ready to hold Republicans accountable in 2015 and 2016, I am ready to hold Republicans accountable again in 2025 and 2026."
Haaland’s campaign message centers on changing course from past policies if different outcomes are desired for New Mexicans.
