Deb Haaland

New Mexican politics are not about to make a dramatic shift to the left if Democrat Deb Haaland wins the governorship November 3. The progressive wing of her party may be ignoring what she says—as they often have with Gov. Lujan Grisham—but facts speak for themselves. Haaland is planting herself in the calm center, not with her energized left twin. Here is a look:

Take Project Jupiter, the giant data center being built by Oracle in Doña Ana County that is now said to be 26 percent completed. The project has become the centerpiece of the state environmental movement with demands it be shutdown, or at least a firm moratorium on future builds. Yet Haaland will not move to shut it down. She has called for "guardrails" for Jupiter and other data centers. Today she is expected to announce support for a moratorium on future centers, which would have to be approved by the legislature. Haaland threw a bolt of lightning at her left wing when she accepted a $12,400 donation from Jupiter developer Oracle—signaling that the "corporate Democrat" nickname affixed to MLG is now moving to Haaland.

(Candle editor Bruce Wetherbee reports that Jupiter developers gave over $270,000 in campaign donations to New Mexico politicians since mid 2025 with most coming this year. House Speaker Javier Martinez and committees affiliated with him received $67,200. Senate Majority leader Peter Wirth received $10,000.)

That passivity extends directly to energy policy, where her acceptance of oil money marks yet another red flag being shooed away by the hard Democratic left. They were unrelenting in their criticism of Haaland's primary opponent Sam Bregman when he traveled to Texas to collect oil money. But campaign reports show Haaland was taking a $6,200 contribution from Exxon during that primary, and she collected another $6,200 in the most recent finance report released Monday.

Beyond Exxon, the corporate oil checks keep rolling in—including $12,400 from ConocoPhillips, a company that benefited in a huge way from a decision made by then-Sec. of Interior Haaland to open up Alaska's Willow Basin on the North Slope to oil drilling. Chevron also shows up on Haaland's list with a $12,400 donation. So where are the climate change activists, the hawks on methane release? Very silent as Haaland slips to the center on the state's most dominant industry—just as current Governor MLG has repeatedly done.

NO RADICAL OVERHAULS

The centrist drift is equally apparent in the state's battle over public utilities. Private equity firm Blackstone is plowing ahead with its proposed merger with PNM, the state's major electric utility. Blackstone, also with a target on their back placed by powerful environmental advocates, has offered friendly consumer terms for the takeover. While progressives have called for the state to use its billions in reserve to buy and run PNM, that radical takeover is getting nowhere with Haaland. She has framed her stance around traditional consumer protections—making utilities "more accountable to ratepayers" and "more affordable for consumers"—rather than state ownership.

A similar pragmatism appears to be shaping her approach to healthcare. Alongside House Speaker Martinez, Haaland's vision for state health coverage is now expected to focus on a public option that consumers could choose on the state health exchange alongside private options. Medicaid will remain the primary socialized healthcare delivery system, rather than creating a sweeping new state program to cover the currently uninsured.

THE SILENT LEFT 

So why the quiet compliance from the Democratic left? Their docility isn't accidental—it's calculated. For progressives, Republican Gregg Hull represents an unacceptable alternative, stripping the left of any real electoral leverage. At the same time, Haaland is a national barrier-breaker giving her a status that centrist Democrats rarely enjoy--attacking her feels like undercutting one of their own. Activists have concluded that a centrist Haaland at least guarantees access to the Fourth Floor, whereas a public fight only risks handing the executive branch to the GOP.

So much for the Deb Haaland of 2018 who, upon winning election to her ABQ House seat, became part of the radical "Squad" of Dem House members who lived and died for the Green New Deal and even signed a No Fossil Fuel campaign money pledge. Today's Deb Haaland is much more in the mold of the old centrism of Bill Richardson and the current corporate-friendly MLG. 

Haaland's primary objective appears to be guaranteeing the state's robust social safety net against Washington intrusion and expanding it as more voters confront a much higher cost of living.

In a Haaland governorship, there would be much talk of climate change, protecting public lands, "accountability," "affordability," and the dangers of Trump. What there would not be is an embrace of progressive economic policies that fundamentally confront the private sector. That calculation can't be lost on the wide-awake Left, but they can and are choosing to ignore it while Repbublicans are welcoming it.

DEBATE AVOIDANCE PLAN

Veteran journalist Peter St. Cyr comes with the cartoon of the moment, spotlighting the Haaland campaign's failure to schedule a TV debate with Republican Gregg Hull. Several readers joined in with their own skepticism. From Tony Schaefer: 

Joe, Deb Haaland risks a lot by refusing to debate Gregg Hull. She has a commanding lead in money, driven by national big Democrat donors and interests. Democrats control New Mexico politics and governance. By depriving voters of a fair hearing in an open debate she portrays the very oligarchy Bernie Sanders and AOC have railed against nationally. Is that what her campaign is really all about?  Deb routinely sends  her Lt. Governor running mate to forums instead of appearing herself. Is the real Deb the person we watched flounder on national TV at those Congressional hearings or not? Just asking.

An anonymous reader writes:

Hello Joe. Deb says, "Debates, what debates? We don’t need no stinking debates." She would not debate Sam Bregman, she won’t debate Gregg. I am more than happy not to hear Deb mumble um, um after every question. This is the best the Democrats have to offer? I hope we don’t have to resort to flying our NM flag upside down although it would still look the same. We need help, Joe, and I don’t think Deb is the answer. No last name just John. I already have enough haters barking at me. 

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