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New Mexican culture was celebrated Tuesday night by both Democratic gubernatorial candidates, who each highlighted Southwestern ways of life in different forms.

Deb Haaland, a member of Laguna Pueblo, will become the first Native American woman elected governor if she wins in November, and has championed Southwestern culture in the past, particularly highlighting Indigenous culture.

"We're a multicultural state and I think representation matters, especially in a political era such as this one," she said Tuesday evening to a crowd of reporters.

"I'm proud and honored to carry on the legacy of my ancestors who worked so incredibly hard to make sure that I had a place here today." 

Prior to Haaland鈥檚 speech, state Rep. Derrick Lente, D-Sandia Pueblo, opened the ceremony with a prayer in Tiwa, one of many Native languages spoken in the state.

"On those ancestral grounds that we stand on today, we recognize the contributions and the collective nature of what makes New Mexico great today, and that's all of us," he said.

Some time later, dancers with the Lightning Boys Foundation took the stage of the Old Town Plaza to perform a Native American hoop dance. Performers danced to the beat of drums, spinning hoops into dynamic shapes like spheres and bows and arrows as the audience cheered.

As Haaland approached the stage, a group of mariachi players followed behind her as the sounds of trumpets filled the air.

Across the city, in Northeast sa国际传媒官网网页入口, Sam Bregman's party felt more like a cocktail hour as guests talked over drinks while country and classic rock music played throughout the room.

Bregman was often seen wearing a black cowboy hat as he campaigned across the Land of Enchantment and his supporters on Tuesday sported their own variations of cowboy hats and belt buckles. A banner inside a room at the Courtyard by Marriott sa国际传媒官网网页入口 hotel had Bregman's name with an image of a cowboy hat.

In a concession speech, Bregman said that while he was disappointed in the results, he was proud of the work he had done, adding that he loved New Mexico and everything the state represented.

"The most amazing place in the world is New Mexico," Bregman said. "There's so much to be thankful for in New Mexico. The amazing sunsets, the great food 鈥� but most importantly, the people of New Mexico. We are the most diverse, wonderful culture in the entire country, bar none."

Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.