Deb Haaland for first Native American female Governor of New Mexico - Representation, Responsibility, and the Indigenous Vote

Deb Haaland for first Native American female Governor of New Mexico 

Representation, Responsibility, and the Indigenous Vote

Deb Haaland is a citizen of the Laguna Pueblo and a 35th-generation New Mexican whose roots in the Southwest long predate statehood. Raised in a military family and later settling in Albuquerque, Haaland’s early life was shaped by resilience, responsibility, and community. As a single mother balancing school and work, she built a life experience that continues to inform her leadership style — grounded, pragmatic, and deeply connected to the people she serves.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of New Mexico in 1994, followed by a Juris Doctor with a focus on Indian Law from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2006. Her legal training reflected a clear commitment to Indigenous governance and self-determination. Before Congress, she worked in community-based leadership roles, including as a tribal administrator and casino manager for San Felipe Pueblo, and as chair of the Laguna Development Corporation Board, helping guide economic development rooted in tribal priorities rather than extraction.

Haaland’s political rise was built through organizing, not shortcuts. She served as New Mexico’s Native American vote director for President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign, chaired the Native American Caucus of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, and later became Chair of the New Mexico Democratic Party from 2015 to 2017. During that time, she helped rebuild party infrastructure and expand participation — particularly in Indigenous communities that had long been sidelined in state and national politics.

DEB HAALAND STRIVES TO WORK HARD 

TO LIFT UP INDIGENOUS WOMEN, 

PARTICULARLY YOUNG INDIGENOUS WOMEN. 

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 Deb Haaland is from Laguna Pueblo and 

Sharice Davids is from the Ho-Chunk Nation.

The 2018 midterm election marked a turning point in U.S. political history. On the same night, two Indigenous women were elected to Congress for the first time ever. Haaland won New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District with 59.13% of the vote, while Sharice Davids flipped Kansas’s 3rd District from Republican to Democrat with 53.3%. Each victory stood on its own — together, they signalled a structural shift long overdue.

COMING SOON: SHARICE DAVIDS: FIRST 2SLGBTQ+ NATIVE AMERICAN CONGRESSWOMEN

Haaland was reelected in 2020 but served only briefly into her second term. In early 2021, she was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Secretary of the Interior, becoming the first Native American to serve in a U.S. federal cabinet and the first Indigenous person ever to lead Interior portfolio — a department whose authority over land, water, and resources has profoundly shaped Indigenous lives for generations.

This history matters not because of symbolism alone, but because representation changes outcomes. New Mexico is home to 19 Pueblos, three Apache reservations, and roughly one-third of the Navajo Nation. Indigenous voters are often underestimated or ignored — yet when engaged and mobilized, the Native vote is decisive. Leadership like Haaland’s demonstrates what becomes possible when barriers fall and participation follows.

Let’s make history — again.

Deb Haaland is running to become the first Native American woman elected Governor of New Mexico. Her record — in Congress, in Cabinet, and in community — demonstrates leadership grounded in accountability, experience, and results.

This moment is not about symbolism. It is about ensuring that the most capable leaders are trusted with real responsibility — and that Indigenous leadership is no longer treated as an exception.

If you believe in leadership that delivers, now is the time to step forward.

Support. Volunteer. Donate.

👉 Get involved at:
https://debhaaland.com