Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced her candidacy for governor of New Mexico, aiming to succeed term-limited Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM) in 2026.
Haaland, who served in Congress and former President Joe Biden’s administration, released a video Tuesday announcing her bid, detailing her record in Washington. She had been speculated as a contender for the race for weeks leading up to her announcement.
I’m running for Governor of New Mexico.
— Deb Haaland (@DebHaalandNM) February 11, 2025
In Congress and as Secretary of the Interior, I’ve fought for our state. I helped New Mexico
businesses open their doors, secured clean energy jobs, and worked to bring water and infrastructure projects to rural communities.
Now, it's… pic.twitter.com/By4IgYinDr
“I’m running for Governor of New Mexico,” Haaland said in a post on X. “In Congress and as Secretary of the Interior, I’ve fought for our state. I helped New Mexico businesses open their doors, secured clean energy jobs, and worked to bring water and infrastructure projects to rural communities.
“Now, it’s time to tackle our biggest challenges with the fierceness only New Mexicans know,” she added. “I’m ready to make government work for us – lower costs, better schools, and ensuring every family feels safe and supported.”
Haaland is the first Democrat to announce her candidacy for the gubernatorial race in the Land of Enchantment, doing so less than a month after leaving her position as interior secretary when Biden left office.
She was the first Native American Cabinet secretary and would be the first elected Native American governor of a state if she wins next year.
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The Cook Political Report rated New Mexico’s 2026 gubernatorial race as “likely Democrat.”
In 2022, Lujan Grisham defeated her Republican opponent 51.97%-45.59% in the governor’s race, while in the 2024 presidential election, former Vice President Kamala Harris defeated President Donald Trump 51.85%-45.85%.