Deb Haaland, who has been a strong advocate for conservation and clean energy as Interior Secretary, is running for the Democratic nomination for governor in New Mexico, the second-largest oil-producing state in the U.S.
Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo and the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary under President Joe Biden, could make history as the first Native American woman to become a state governor. New Mexico is home to 23 federally recognized tribes, including a significant portion of the Navajo Nation and lands held by the Fort Sill Apache.
She is the first to begin organizing her campaign for what will be a long race, as Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will be term-limited at the end of 2026. Last week, Democratic U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich announced he would not run, and as of now, no Republican candidates have entered the race.
Scott Forrester was officially announced as the campaign manager on Monday. While a team of experienced political strategists and other staff members are being put together, the formal filing with the Secretary of State is still pending.
The governorship in New Mexico has alternated between Democratic and Republican control since the 1980s. Despite President Donald Trump gaining popularity in the state, he lost three elections in this heavily Hispanic and Native American border region.
Democrats have solidified their dominance in New Mexico, holding every statewide elected office, all congressional and U.S. Senate seats, and commanding significant majorities in both the state House and Senate.
If Haaland wins the governorship, she would take leadership of a state benefiting from a financial boost due to the booming oil production in the Permian Basin, which spans parts of both New Mexico and western Texas. Haaland brings extensive political experience, having served as a former congresswoman, state party chair, and grassroots campaigner for President Barack Obama.
Haaland has been vocal in her opposition to unrestricted oil and gas development while advocating for the Green New Deal, a set of policies aimed at transitioning the U.S. to low-carbon energy. Despite her stance, oil and gas leasing and production hit record levels during the Biden administration, and the U.S. is now producing more fossil fuels than ever.
In her final interview as Interior Secretary with The Associated Press, Haaland explained that the fossil fuel boom occurred alongside efforts to protect other federal lands from development. She emphasized that it’s possible to avoid leasing vast expanses of land by focusing on specific areas for oil and gas development, ensuring more land is preserved for conservation.
It remains to be seen if Haaland would bring this balanced approach to New Mexico, where oil and gas revenues are crucial. However, it’s likely to become a key issue in her campaign. Meanwhile, New Mexico’s Democratic lawmakers have created a progressive framework to use the state’s financial surplus, investing in initiatives such as free meals for all public school students, tuition-free college and trade schools, discounted childcare, and tax incentives for families with children.
In the 2022 gubernatorial race, the Republican candidate, former TV meteorologist Mark Ronchetti, suggested an alternative approach to using the state’s oil revenues. His proposal included offering individual rebates and providing educational stipends to families to improve early literacy. Ronchetti lost to Governor Lujan Grisham by a 6-point margin.
Recently, New Mexico’s annual oil production has surpassed that of North Dakota, the home state of Doug Burgum, who was nominated by Trump to succeed Haaland as the head of the Interior Department.