ELECTION 2026
'New Mexico needs more success': Bregman touts record, criticizes Haaland in Town Hall event
Democratic gubernatorial candidate says he'd bring sense of urgency to pressing issues
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SANTA FE 鈥� The rough-and-tumble New Mexico Democratic primary race for governor does not appear to be headed for a truce.
Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman this week that he would not support his opponent Deb Haaland if she wins the Democratic Party nomination, saying Haaland made an 鈥渆pic failure of judgment鈥� by allowing information to be posted to her campaign website about several properties owned by Bregman鈥檚 family.
鈥淵es, it is still my stance,鈥� Bregman said during a Tuesday Town Hall event at the Journal鈥檚 Ray Cary Auditorium. 鈥淏ut it doesn鈥檛 mean I鈥檓 going to go out and support a Republican either 鈥� I want to make that clear.鈥�
He also took issue with criticisms leveled by Haaland鈥檚 campaign about his personal wealth, while defending his record as both a defense attorney and as Bernalillo County district attorney since 2023.
鈥淗ere鈥檚 the deal 鈥� New Mexico needs more success,鈥� Bregman said. 鈥淓very single citizen of this state needs the opportunity to have success.鈥�
鈥淭o attack me because I鈥檝e been successful, I think, says a lot about my opponent,鈥� Bregman added.
Bregman and Haaland are locked in an expensive and hard-fought primary race that has featured back-and-forth criticism over debate dodging and plagiarism. The winner of the June 2 primary will advance to the November general election.
Both candidates have also faced attacks from independent expenditure groups that operate separately from campaigns, and Bregman said Tuesday his campaign is not coordinating in 鈥渁ny way, shape or form鈥� with a group called Accountable New Mexico PAC that has targeted Haaland.
The former U.S. Interior secretary, who was leading Bregman in a recent Journal Poll, had previously agreed to also participate in a Journal Town Hall 鈥� all three Republican candidates for governor already attended 鈥� but her campaign abruptly canceled last week.
During Tuesday鈥檚 event, Bregman faced questions from audience members and Journal staffers in a give-and-take that lasted nearly two hours.
Among other issues, he said he does not support a moratorium on building new data centers in New Mexico and acknowledged friction with Democratic legislators for rebuffing his proposal for stiffer criminal penalties for juvenile offenders convicted of serious violent crimes.
He also said the Bernalillo County District Attorney鈥檚 Office has indicted 77 juveniles on murder charges in his three-plus years on the job.
鈥淚鈥檓 very frustrated with my own party at the Legislature over this issue,鈥� Bregman said.
But Bregman also said he would not hesitate to stand up to President Donald Trump if elected governor, expressing particular alarm about the Trump administration鈥檚 immigration enforcement efforts.
Meanwhile, Bregman identified New Mexico鈥檚 public education system as the most pressing issue facing the state, saying turnover at the top of the Public Education Department during Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham鈥檚 tenure has made it difficult to sustain academic gains.
鈥淲hen you have to start over with a new secretary every year, that鈥檚 not beneficial,鈥� Bregman said.
He also cited healthcare access and diversifying the state鈥檚 economy as top issues he鈥檇 focus on, saying, 鈥淲e have to have a sense of urgency.鈥�
Dan Boyd covers state government and politics for the Journal in Santa Fe. Follow him on X at or reach him via email at dboyd@abqjournal.com.
