Deb Haaland’s Primary Win Means She Will Likely Be the First Native American Woman in Congress
Alexia Fernández, Vox, June 6, 2018
New Mexico is poised to elect the first Native American woman to serve in Congress.
Deb Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna, won the Democratic nomination for New Mexico’s First Congressional District. The district is considered solidly Democratic, paving the way for Haaland to take the congressional seat vacated by Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham, who is running for governor.
Haaland, who is the former chair of the state’s Democratic Party, beat out her opponents, former US Attorney Damon Martinez and former law professor Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, with 40 percent of the primary votes.
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Haaland represents the progressive flank of the Democratic Party, touting a pro–abortion rights, pro-immigrant policy agenda focused on fighting climate change and creating a clean energy economy.
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If Haaland wins, she will join the only two other Native Americans who currently serve in Congress: Republican Reps. Markwayne Mullin and Tom Cole, both of Oklahoma.
