Haaland secures 57.2% vote in New Mexico gubernatorial race

Deb Haaland won 57.2% of the vote in Tuesday's gubernatorial election, according to unofficial results from the Associated Press.

The race at 8:40 p.m., marking Haaland as the first female Native American governor in the United States.

She defeated Republican challenger Gregg Hull, the former mayor of Rio Rancho. Hull acknowledged the defeat on Tuesday night and described the campaign as a David and Goliath situation.

Haaland raised more than $20 million during the race, a sum nearly ten times larger than Hull's total. She cited support from numerous small donors as a key factor in her fundraising advantage.

Hundreds of supporters gathered at Route 66 Casino Tuesday night to celebrate the victory. Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna, noted the location was significant because it sits on Pueblo land.

"I remember carrying water from the community spigot and playing outside from sunrise to sunset, spending time in my grandfather’s cornfield, helping him irrigate," Haaland said. "And just off this road, my grandmother was taken away to boarding school. Yet we are still here."

Haaland serves as the first Native American Cabinet secretary, having led President Joe Biden's Department of the Interior. She previously served in Congress after being elected in 2018. During her tenure at Interior, she established the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative to investigate facility locations, student deaths, and unmarked burial sites.

She will replace Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who is term-limited, on January 1. Haaland pledged to sign an executive order creating a statewide moratorium on new large-scale data centers until the Legislature can pass a bill curtailing them.

Her agenda includes strengthening public education, repairing the Children, Youth, and Families Department, addressing violent crime and fentanyl, and expanding healthcare access. "New Mexicans are tired of having to travel hours outside of their communities just to access basic healthcare," she said. "I will create a path toward universal healthcare."

Hull praised his campaign staff for keeping the contest positive and cordial. He criticized Haaland for backing out of a debate on KOB-TV in October, a move she explained by citing a prior commitment to meet with farmers and ranchers in southern New Mexico. Hull said he has no immediate plans but wants to be in service somewhere in New Mexico.