Deb Haaland, a US cabinet secretary, is campaigning to become New Mexico's next governor, making her 35 years of sobriety and past struggles with alcoholism a central theme. Haaland, who developed a drinking problem after high school and was twice arrested for driving under the influence, became sober in her 20s.
The Democrat is launching a six-figure broadcast and digital ad campaign ahead of the November midterm elections. In the campaign, Haaland connects her personal experience with addiction to the public health crisis affecting local communities. She stated that she started abusing alcohol at a young age and was fortunate to recognise at 23 that she wanted a sober life, a journey that involved an inpatient treatment programme, meetings, and therapy.
Haaland, who served in Congress from 2019 to 2021 and as interior secretary from 2021 to 2025, is challenging Republican Gregg Hull for the governorship. She views addiction as a public health issue, not a moral failing, and aims to allocate behavioural health dollars to this area. Haaland also criticises former Republican governor Susana Martinez's administration for dismantling local treatment networks.
Her proposals include a structural redesign to prevent addiction from being channelled into the criminal justice system. She suggests creating a state office of community safety to deploy behavioural health specialists to non-criminal emergency calls, allowing law enforcement to focus on violent crime and drug traffickers. Haaland has also expressed concern over impending Medicaid rollbacks under the Trump administration, scheduled for 1 January, which could affect addiction treatment coverage.