Haaland, a citizen of Laguna Pueblo and the nation’s first Native American cabinet secretary under President Joe Biden, could be the first Native American woman to serve as governor of any state

Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is gearing up to run to be New Mexico’s next governor. Just over a week after wrapping up her term working for former President Joe Biden, Haaland is assembling a team for a 2026 gubernatorial campaign, a person close to her said.

Deb Haaland, who championed conservation and clean energy during her tenure as Interior secretary, is running for the Democratic nomination for governor in New Mexico, the nation’s No. 2 oil production state.

Deb Haaland, the former secretary of the Interior Department under President Joe Biden, is getting ready for a run to become New Mexico’s next governor. Haaland led the Department of the Interior during all four years of the Biden administration after previously being elected to Congress to represent New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District in 2018.