Deb Haaland, a Democrat, is projected to win the New Mexico governor’s race and is set to make history as the first Native American governor in the United States.
Haaland’s historic win falls amid the Trump administration’s expansionist efforts to encroach upon Native lands out West to drill for oil.
She was one of many Native candidates seeking to win office during the 2026 midterm elections. At least 225 Native Americans were running for office across 30 states in the 2026 midterm elections, according to an analysis by ICT and Advance Native Political Leadership. The majority of those candidates running for office were women.
In 2021, Haaland was sworn in as Interior Secretary, becoming the first Native woman to hold a cabinet position in the United States. She was also the first elected
Born in Winslow, Navajo County, Arizona, Haaland is a member of the Pueblo of Laguna.
