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By Nicole Maxwell
Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is expected to announce her run for governor in the coming weeks. In the interim, she appears to have begun the process for the run. While she has not made an official announcement, she has begun to assemble a campaign team headed by Scott Forrester, who most recently served as U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury’s chief of staff. Stansbury has represented New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District since 2021, after winning a special election that year to replace Haaland, who was tapped by Joe Biden to head the Department of the Interior that same year.
Rumors of Haaland’s run for governor have been swirling since the Nov. 5 election and now her team is confirming that a formal announcement is coming soon.
“Deb Haaland is… a proven leader; she’s created New Mexico jobs, brings people together and is getting ready to run to be New Mexico’s next governor,” a spokesperson for Deb Haaland said. “She and her team will be focused on listening and solutions that fit the needs of our communities.”
As previously reported in NM Political Report, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat, announced Jan. 24 that, although he was contemplating a run, he decided against a gubernatorial campaign citing that “a strong voice in Washington” is needed “now more than ever.”
Other rumored contenders include Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman, also a Democrat, who told NM Political Report he was currently more focused on his current job.
Whereas, Republican Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull said he has contemplated a run for governor but has not made any official announcements in that respect.
