Deb Haaland: A single mother's journey to becoming the first Native American woman to govern a US state

Deb Haaland has spent much of her political career breaking barriers. Her election as governor of New Mexico is another historic first, making her the first Native American woman to lead a US state. For Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo, the victory marks the latest chapter in a journey that has taken her from tribal administration to some of the highest offices in American politics.

The 65-year-old Democrat defeated Republican Gregg Hull, a businessman and former mayor of Rio Rancho, in Tuesday's election. Her victory brings her back to state-level leadership after serving as Interior Secretary under former US President Joe Biden, a role that made her the first Native American to hold a Cabinet position.

From tribal administration to national politics

Haaland first drew national attention in 2018 when she and Sharice Davids became the first Native American women elected to the US Congress. Her arrival in Washington came alongside a new wave of progressive lawmakers, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib.


Two years later, following Biden's presidential victory, Haaland was nominated to lead the Department of the Interior. When she took office in 2021, she made history again as the first Native American Cabinet secretary in the United States.

But her political career had begun long before she entered Congress.

An enrolled member of the Laguna Pueblo, Haaland worked as a tribal administrator at San Felipe Pueblo and became the first woman elected to the board of directors of the Laguna Development Corporation. She also tried her hand at business, producing and canning Pueblo Salsa.

Her involvement in electoral politics grew over the years. During Barack Obama's 2012 presidential campaign, she served as the Native American vote director in New Mexico, helping mobilise Indigenous voters.

In 2014, she made an unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor. The setback did not end her political ambitions. A year later, she became the first Native American woman to chair a state political party, leading the Democratic Party of New Mexico from 2015 to 2017.

A personal journey shaped by financial struggles

Haaland's path to public office was far from straightforward. A single mother, she has spoken openly about the financial difficulties she faced while raising her child and pursuing an education.

There were periods when she depended on public assistance, including food stamps, and had to navigate government programmes such as Medicaid and WIC to support her family.

She enrolled at the University of New Mexico at 28, eventually earning a degree in English before going on to complete her law degree.

Those years of financial uncertainty became an important part of her political identity. During her campaign, Haaland frequently drew on her experiences as a single parent and the challenges of paying for her education to speak about the difficulties faced by working families.

Affordability and opposition to Trump

The rising cost of living was a major focus of Haaland's campaign. She promised to introduce a public healthcare option and reform New Mexico's child welfare system, while presenting herself as a vocal critic of President Donald Trump's policies.

Her opposition to Trump was not new. During her time in Congress, Haaland had frequently challenged his administration, a position she carried into the governor's race.

Speaking at a campaign gathering in Portales in September, she criticised the administration's economic policies and said ordinary New Mexicans were struggling with everyday expenses.

“We need to make life more affordable for New Mexicans because we have a president in office who has no clue how we live,” she said.

Haaland also took a position on the expansion of data centres in the state. She proposed using an executive order to suspend new large-scale data centre projects until lawmakers introduced regulations governing their development.

A milestone for Indigenous political representation

Haaland's victory carries particular significance in New Mexico, where Indigenous communities make up around 12% of the population.

It also comes at a time when Native American candidates are becoming increasingly visible in US elections. This election cycle saw a record 358 Indigenous candidates contest local, state and federal offices.

That growing political presence follows decades of efforts to secure voting rights and representation.

Native Americans were granted US citizenship in 1924, but that did not immediately guarantee them the right to vote in every state. Restrictions remained in place for years.

In New Mexico, Miguel Trujillo, an Isleta Pueblo member and World War II veteran, challenged the state's voting restrictions in court. His legal battle helped secure voting rights for Native Americans in the state in 1948.

Decades later, in 2023, New Mexico became the first and only state to introduce an updated Native American Voting Rights Act, giving tribes greater say in decisions involving polling locations and redistricting.

Haaland's election adds another chapter to that history.

From running a small business and raising a child as a single mother to leading a state political party, serving in Congress and becoming a Cabinet secretary, her career has been marked by a series of firsts.

She now takes on a new role as governor of New Mexico, becoming the first Native American woman to lead a US state. For Haaland, it is another milestone in a career that has steadily opened doors for Indigenous representation in American politics.