[ [link removed] ]Deb Haaland for New Mexico[ [link removed] ]Deb Haaland for New Mexico





I recently wrote an op-ed for Outside Magazine about the threat the Trump
administration poses to our national parks, monuments, wildlife refuges,
and all of the public lands that belong to all of us. It’s critical that
we step up to defend them.

New Mexico needs leaders who can meet this moment. As governor, I’ll step
up to conserve our lands and waters for future generations, secure clean
air and water for our communities, and mitigate the risk that wildfires
pose to families across our state.

I hope you’ll take a few moments to give my editorial a read and join us
as we work to protect our public lands.

— Deb

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Public Lands Are Under Attack.
State Leaders Should Protect Them.

Deb Haaland
April 28, 2025

From 2021 until 2024, while I was Secretary of the Interior, we worked to
forge stability, create jobs in a clean energy economy, conserve more
lands and waters for future generations, and secure clean air and water
for communities in every corner of the country.

We treated everyone with dignity and respect—values that New Mexicans live
by. Today, the work we accomplished, alongside conservationists, farmers,
ranchers, Tribes, rural communities, and cities is under attack.

In a time of questions and uncertainty in Washington, governors around the
country will be on the front lines of defense against this president’s
reckless firing of federal workers, massive cuts to services that people
rely on, and general chaos. The Trump administration is vigorously
defending its actions in court, and if they’re allowed to stand, the harm
will only grow.

When wildfires strike, there will now be fewer federal firefighters to put
out the flames. Jobs and livelihoods in the outdoor recreation sector are
at risk. Families who plan to visit Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico,
Yellowstone in Wyoming, and other national parks will encounter longer
wait times and possibly limited hours.

When folks are looking to gather firewood on national forest lands, they
could have a harder time contacting support staff. Veterans who seek
solace on our public lands might not have the access they once did.
Hunters may notice that their organizations are losing funding, and their
hunting grounds slowly disappearing and being sold off to the highest
bidder.

I’m running for Governor of New Mexico because leadership matters.

Governors will need to meet this moment with bold and steady leadership,
and I will be a Governor who stands up for New Mexicans and the public
lands that we love. While I was Secretary of the Interior, we made
tremendous strides to address climate change, expand access to public
lands, address drought, and manage resources responsibly. This was all
done with clear direction and respect for the workforce tasked with
implementing our goals. We tried new things and shot for the moon, and we
did it all hand-in-hand with the people most impacted.

We created meaningful change because we were a serious agency led by,
frankly, serious people. The Interior was one of the largest agencies in
the federal government with nearly 70,000 dedicated employees—park
rangers, firefighters, climate scientists, biologists, and more. These are
the jobs in New Mexico that kids deserve to have when they’re grown.

As I travel around my home state listening to communities, I’m hearing
time and again that people are afraid. I’ve met federal workers who were
worried about their jobs, seniors anxious about Medicare, veterans
concerned about VA services, and families worried about their kids’
schools. Trump and Elon Musk are striking fear into our communities while
failing to deliver the things they promised.

Governors have the obligation to protect our communities. I know I will
carry the weight of standing up in the face of these attacks, but it’s a
weight I will happily carry because I believe in a future where we all
share in New Mexico’s bounty and success. It’s a vision that has sometimes
been out of reach, but I believe that with my experience, we can change
the system to work for the people.

Similar to the way I changed the system at the Department of the Interior
by bringing Tribal Nations and local communities in as active participants
in stewarding our lands, I will make that a reality for traditional
communities and Tribes in New Mexico. I will also collaborate with other
governors who recognize the threats posed by this administration and with
the state attorney general to pursue legal routes to fight for the
protection of our lands. I hope and expect that governors—as chief
executives of states—will work together to share and learn from their
successes and find opportunities to pursue new solutions. We must
recognize the urgency of this moment and lock arms against these very real
threats.

As governor, I will make sure New Mexico’s state parks are maintained and
accessible, and I’ll work to break down barriers to access these
treasures. If the national parks and other federal lands in New Mexico
suffer further staffing and resource cuts, I will explore ways for the
state to step up and provide support to keep federal lands safe and
available. I will continue efforts to recruit and hire federal workers who
have lost their jobs so that they can continue to share their valuable
skills and training.

I’m running for governor because the experience I gained leading a federal
department and working in Congress will help working people. And I will
stand alongside all of the governors who will be on the frontlines to
protect our beautiful landscapes, outdoor traditions, and natural
resources for future generations.

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Thank you for reading!

Deb knows that jobs, health, housing, education, and safety will help New
Mexico families prosper. She’s running for governor because the fights we
face today are bigger than ever, and she’s ready to tackle them head-on
and make the system work for people the way it should.

But since Deb’s running a grassroots campaign, she’s counting on
supporters like you to pitch in $10, $20, $50, or whatever you can to help
her win.

[ [link removed] ]Will you pitch in any amount today to help elect Deb as New Mexico’s
next governor?



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