Deb Haaland seeks historic New Mexico governorship

Deb Haaland, the current U.S. Interior Secretary and a member of the Laguna Pueblo, is running for Governor of New Mexico. A victory would make her the first Native American woman to lead a U.S. state.

Haaland faces a challenging political landscape, as New Mexico consistently ranks low in national metrics for poverty, crime, and public education. Her campaign focuses on expanding tax credits and increasing spending on social safety net programs. She has attributed many of the state's economic difficulties to federal policies and cuts to social programs.

Republican challenger Gregg Hull, a former mayor of Rio Rancho, is campaigning on a platform of tax cuts to combat poverty. Hull argues that the state is ready for a leadership shift away from the long-standing Democratic control of the state legislature and executive offices.