Deb Haaland

Debra Anne Haaland (born December 2, 1960) is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative from New Mexico's 1st congressional district. The district includes most of Albuquerque, along with most of its suburbs. Haaland is a former leader of the Democratic Party of New Mexico. She and Sharice Davids are the first two Native American women elected to the U.S. Congress. Haaland is a member of the Laguna Pueblo people.

Deb Haaland
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Mexico's 1st district
Assumed office
January 3, 2019
Preceded byMichelle Lujan Grisham
Chair of the New Mexico Democratic Party
In office
April 25, 2015 – April 29, 2017
Preceded bySam Bregman
Succeeded byRichard Ellenberg
Personal details
Born
Debra Anne Haaland

(1960-12-02) December 2, 1960
Winslow, Arizona, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Children1
EducationUniversity of New Mexico (BA, JD)
University of California, Los Angeles
WebsiteHouse website

Early life and education

Haaland was born in Winslow, Arizona.[1][2] [3] She is an enrolled member of the Laguna Pueblo people. Her mother, Mary Toya,[4] a Native American woman, served in the United States Navy.[5] Her father, Major J. D. "Dutch" Haaland, a Norwegian American, was an officer in the United States Marine Corps and recipient of the Silver Star for his actions in Vietnam; he was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery in 2005.[4] She has three sisters and a brother.[4]

Haaland earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of New Mexico in 1994.[6][7] She earned her Juris Doctor in Indian law from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2006, but is not a member of the New Mexico State Bar.[6][7][8] She served as the tribal administrator for the San Felipe Pueblo from January 2013 to November 2015.[5][6][7]

Earlier political career

In 2012, Haaland served as the state's vote director for Native Americans in Barack Obama's 2012 presidential reelection campaign.[9] She ran for Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico in 2014.[5] Her ticket, headed by then Attorney General of New Mexico Gary King, the party's nominee for Governor of New Mexico, lost to the Republican ticket of Governor Susana Martinez and Lieutenant Governor John Sanchez.[9]

She was elected to a two-year term as the Chair of the Democratic Party of New Mexico in April 2015.[10][11] During her tenure, New Mexico Democrats regained control of the New Mexico House of Representatives.[9]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2018 general election
Main article: 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico § District 1
Haaland speaks at "Stop Kavanaugh Rally" at the U.S. Capitol in 2018

After the expiration of her term, Haaland announced her intention to run for the United States House of Representatives in New Mexico's 1st congressional district in the 2018 elections, to succeed Michelle Lujan Grisham, who was running for governor.[9] Haaland defeated Damon Martinez to win the Democratic Party nomination in June 2018,[12] receiving 40.5% of the vote and winning every county in the district.[13][14]

In the November 6 general election Haaland defeated former New Mexico State Representative Janice Arnold-Jones,[15] receiving 59.1% of the vote and winning three of the district's five counties.[16][17]

Tenure

Along with Democrat Sharice Davids (D-Kansas), a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, Halland is one of the first two Native American women elected to the United States Congress.[18][19][20] During the swearing-in ceremony in January 2019, Haaland wore a traditional Pueblo dress, necklace and boots.[21]

On March 7, 2019, during a debate on voting rights and campaign finance, Haaland became the first Native American woman to preside over the U.S. House of Representatives.[22][23]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Electoral history
Democratic primary results[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Debra Haaland 25,366 40.57
Democratic Damon Martinez 16,154 25.84
Democratic Antoinette Sedillo Lopez 12,885 20.61
Democratic Paul Moya 3,683 5.89
Democratic Pat Davis (withdrawn) 2,380 3.81
Democratic Damian Lara 2,059 3.29
Total votes 62,527 100.00
New Mexico's 1st congressional district, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Deb Haaland 147,336 59.1
Republican Janice Arnold-Jones 90,507 36.3
Libertarian Lloyd Princeton 11,319 4.5
Total votes 249,162 100.0
Democratic hold

Personal life

Haaland has a daughter, whom she raised on her own.[30][9] Haaland's hobbies include marathon running and gourmet cooking.[6] She is a Catholic.[31]

See also

References
  1. Candidate Conversation - Deb Haaland (D)
  2. Peters, Joey (April 26, 2015). "Haaland elected new state Democratic Party Chair". Nmpoliticalreport.com. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  3. Contreras, Russell. "Deb Haaland's House Run Could Make Native American History". Time. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  4. "Obituaries: Haaland". Albuquerque Journal. March 4, 2005. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  5. "Debra Haaland Could Make History as Lt. Gov. of NM – IndianCountryToday.com". Newsmaven.io. November 28, 2012. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  6. "Deb Haaland's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  7. "Debra Haaland". LinkedIn. 2018. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  8. Oxford, Andrew (May 2, 2017). "Haaland, former Dem Party state chairwoman, running for Congress". The Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  9. "Former state Democratic Party chairwoman Haaland plans run for Congress". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  10. Terrell, Steve (April 25, 2015). "State Democrats elect first American Indian to lead party". The Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  11. "Democrats elect Haaland state party chairwoman". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  12. "Past Democratic Party chair Haaland wins nomination". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  13. "New Mexico Election Results". electionresults.sos.state.nm.us. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  14. "New Mexico Primary Election Results: First House District". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  15. "Native American Democrat Debra Haaland beats GOP's Janice Arnold-Jones, earns groundbreaking US House win in New Mexico". AP NEWS. November 7, 2018.
  16. "New Mexico Election Results". electionresults.sos.state.nm.us. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  17. "New Mexico Election Results: First House District". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  18. Democrats in Kansas, New Mexico Become First Native American Women Elected to Congress, Time Magazine, November 7, 2018. Katie Reilly. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  19. The U.S. Could Be Getting Its First Native American Congresswoman in November, Fortune, McKenna Moore, June 7, 2018. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
  20. Romero, Simon (June 6, 2018). "New Mexico Could Elect First Native American Woman to Congress". The New York Times. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  21. Lyn Mettler (January 4, 2019). "Rep. Debra Haaland wears traditional Native American dress to swearing-in ceremony". NBC News.
  22. Frazin, Rachel (March 7, 2019). "First Native American Congresswoman presides over House". TheHill.
  23. Kasana, Mehreen (March 7, 2019). "Watch Deb Haaland Become The First Native American Woman To Preside Over The House". Bustle.
  24. "Pelosi Announces New Appointments to Committees for the 116th Congress". Speaker Nancy Pelosi. January 15, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  25. "Pelosi Announces New Appointments to Committees for the 116th Congress". Speaker Nancy Pelosi. January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  26. "Pelosi Announces New Appointments to the Oversight and Reform Committee for the 116th Congress". Speaker Nancy Pelosi. December 17, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  27. Representatives, Sarah Corley and Felicia Salazar | U. S. House of. "Native American Caucus leadership established for 116th Congress". The Ada News. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  28. "Congressional Progressive Caucus : Caucus Members". cpc-grijalva.house.gov.
  29. "New Mexico Election Results". New Mexico Secretary of State. June 6, 2018.
  30. "NM Democratic Chair Haaland Statement On Marriage Equality". KRWG. June 26, 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  31. "Haaland condemns students' behavior toward Native elder at Indigenous Peoples March". TheHill. January 19, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Sam Bregman		 Chair of the New Mexico Democratic Party
2015–2017		 Succeeded by
Richard Ellenberg
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Michelle Lujan Grisham		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Mexico's 1st congressional district
2019–present		 Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Michael Guest		 United States Representatives by seniority
369th		 Succeeded by
Jim Hagedorn
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