Key facts
- Deb Haaland is centering her New Mexico governor campaign on her 35-year sobriety and past struggles with alcoholism.
- Haaland views addiction as a public health issue, not a moral failing.
- She proposes reforming New Mexico's behavioral health system, which she states was damaged by former Governor Susana Martinez's administration.
- Haaland plans to create a state office of community safety to deploy behavioral health specialists to non-criminal calls.
- She expressed opposition to federal enforcement actions like recent ICE raids in New Mexico.
- Haaland is running against Republican Gregg Hull, former mayor of Rio Rancho.
Deb Haaland, the current US Secretary of the Interior, is making her personal journey of overcoming alcoholism and maintaining 35 years of sobriety a central theme in her campaign for governor of New Mexico. Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe, stated that she began abusing alcohol at a young age and was fortunate to enter an inpatient treatment program at 23, leading to her sustained sobriety.
Haaland aims to reframe addiction as a public health issue rather than a moral failing, emphasizing the need for increased behavioral health funding and reduced stigma. She criticizes the previous administration of Republican Governor Susana Martinez for dismantling the state's behavioral health system through allegations of fraud against providers. Haaland proposes creating a state office of community safety to deploy behavioral health specialists to non-criminal emergency calls, allowing law enforcement to focus on violent crime and drug traffickers.
Her campaign is also highlighting stories of individuals in recovery, such as Jorge, who has been sober for over a year, and David, a behavioral health psychologist. Haaland has visited residential care facilities and expressed concerns about potential federal Medicaid rollbacks that could impact addiction treatment coverage. She also condemned recent ICE raids in New Mexico as "untenable," "cruel," and "ruthless."
Haaland served in the House of Representatives from 2019 to 2021 before becoming the first Native American to serve as a US cabinet secretary. She is challenging Republican Gregg Hull, the former mayor of Rio Rancho, in the upcoming gubernatorial election.