Deb Haaland

 Is the debate over debates over? It seems so.

After weeks of chiding from Sam Bregman for not agreeing to debates, Deb Haaland's camp has clarified that there is one debate scheduled and she will take part:

The announcement comes after Haaland agreed to the debate in September 2025. The debate will be hosted by Dukes Up and air statewide on PBS. It will be held on May 2 at CNM’s Smith Brasher Auditorium and is free to the public. “I am excited to share my agenda with New Mexicans. From standing up to Donald Trump to lowering costs to expanding access to health care, I have the most experience of any candidate running for governor. I look forward to meeting my opponent on the stage and letting voters decide." Haaland said. 

It may be the bare minimum but usually when a candidate agrees to at least one debate, it takes the issue off the table. And make no mistake this is the bare minimum. Haaland continues to reject invitations for other debates with Bregman as they battle for the June 2 gubernatorial primary nomination.

Those continued refusals reveal both her weakness and strength. 

Her weakness is fear that she still does not have a grasp on policy nuance that could be her undoing in a face-to-face confrontation. Her strength is her continued popularity among Democratic base voters that make unnecessary any risk-on moves such as debating. 

Haaland's camp tells newsman Daniel Chacón they are rejecting a KRQE-TV invite to engage with Bregman:

Deb has a commanding lead in the race to be New Mexico’s next Governor. That’s because New Mexicans know Deb and understand she can lead our state and fight Trump’s abuse of power. . .Deb has been traveling all over the state and if voters want to hear from her, there are plenty of opportunities to hear from her directly.

Bregman has been spinning internal polling to show that the race is actually tightening but Haaland's avoidance of debates indicate that she sees the contest as still heavily tilting her way and that there are few consequences for refusing to debate the aggressive BernCo District Attorney. 

Bregman has been doing his best to put the heat on. He has focused on Haaland for flying on a private jet in 2014 with Dem Guv candidate Gary King that was chartered by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But the story does not seem to have legs--despite a push poll conducted by Bregman that showed otherwise. 

The stymied Bregman did come with some of his best lines in reacting to Haaland's rejection of the KRQE debate:

(Voters are) asking for answers about public safety, about accountability, and about how we make sure predators like Epstein never find protection or proximity to power in our state. If you want to lead New Mexico, you don’t avoid the biggest stage in the state. You show up. You debate. You put your record and your ideas side by side and let voters decide.

BOMBASTIC VS. PENSIVE 

Sam Bregman

The May PBS forum where Haaland has agreed to engage with Bregman lacks the spark, tension and the large audience commanded by a a live televised debate on one of the major commercial networks (like KRQE) where any Haaland missteps would be amplified. 

Bregman, a bombastic trial attorney, is known for his love of the camera. Haaland is more pensive and on less sure footing under the glare of the spotlight. That showed when she served as Secretary of Interior and struggled to answer congressional questions at several oversight hearings. 

While Haaland may come across as shallow on policy, there is no denying that she harbors superb political instincts. She was elected to and presided successfully as chair of the state Democratic party; she easily won the '14 Dem Lt. Gov. nomination; was elected to two terms from the ABQ congressional seat and fought off Sen. Martin Heinrich and other heavyweight contenders to become the first Native American to be named Secretary of Interior.

Bregman can choose to push harder to get the debate door open but knocking elsewhere may be in order. 

THE BOTTOM LINES

Gary King slipped quietly into private life following his '14 loss for governor but now King and his legendary political family find themselves back in the spotlight and not in a favorable way. More on the king family ties to Jeffrey Epstein and the Zorro ranch they sold to him continues to unfold. The latest here.  

This the Home of New Mexico Politics.