Deb Haaland elected governor of New Mexico — Anadolu Agency

Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has been elected governor of the state of New Mexico. She became the first Native American woman elected governor of a U.S. state. Her opponent was Republican Party candidate Gregg Hull, a 60-year-old businessman and former mayor of Rio Rancho, Anadolu Agency reports.

Haaland is a member of the Laguna Pueblo people, a federally recognized tribal nation in west-central New Mexico. Native Americans make up approximately 12% of the state's population.

Haaland's political career

Before moving into national politics, Haaland worked in tribal administration and voter outreach. After an unsuccessful run for lieutenant governor in 2014, she chaired the New Mexico Democratic Party from 2015 to 2017, becoming the first Native American woman to lead a state party organization.

In 2018, Haaland was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She was one of the first two Native American women to become members of Congress. In 2021, then-President Joe Biden appointed her U.S. Secretary of the Interior, making her the first Indigenous person in the country to serve as a Cabinet secretary in the U.S. government.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Campaign promises

During the campaign, Haaland promised to make living in the state more affordable, introduce a public health insurance option, and reform New Mexico's child protection system. She also said she intended to counter President Donald Trump's policies, citing her experience in Congress.

In addition, Haaland promised to suspend new major data center projects in New Mexico by executive order until state lawmakers establish rules for their development. She will replace Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, who was unable to run because of term limits.

The election took place amid a record number of Native Americans running for offices at various levels in the United States: 358 such candidates ran this year.