Deb Haaland wins New Mexico governor’s race

Democrat Deb Haaland is projected to defeat her Republican opponent Gregg Hull in New Mexico’s gubernatorial race, according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).

Haaland, who served as Interior secretary under former President Biden, will become the first Native American woman to serve as governor of a U.S. state. She previously made history as one of the first two Native Americans elected to Congress in 2018.

DDHQ projected that Haaland defeated Hull by almost 12 percentage points with 37 percent of votes counted as of 10:33 p.m. EST.

She will succeed term-limited Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D), keeping the governor’s mansion in Democratic hands.

Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo, previously represented New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District before joining the Biden administration in 2021. As Interior chief, she oversaw federal public lands and conservation efforts, as well as an investigation into abuses at Native American boarding schools.

Hull served three terms as mayor of Rio Rancho, New Mexico’s third-largest city. He campaigned on improving public safety, expanding economic opportunities and reforming education.

Affordability was a central issue in the race, with Haaland proposing to raise the minimum wage, expand tax credits for working families and increase housing construction. She also campaigned on expanding access to healthcare, protecting Medicaid and strengthening New Mexico’s universal childcare program.

The two candidates differed sharply over President Trump’s policies, with Haaland criticizing the administration’s handling of the economy and Hull arguing that Democratic leadership had failed to address the Land of Enchantment’s challenges.

New Mexico voters last elected a GOP governor in 2014, when former Gov. Susana Martinez won reelection.

Ahead of Election Day, DDHQ gave Haaland an 87 percent chance of winning.