Haaland continues fundraising dominance in primary election final stretch

Former U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland raised four times as much money as her Democratic gubernatorial primary opponent Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman in the final weeks before the June 2 primary, according to the latest campaign filings to the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office.

Bregman reported receiving nearly $200,000 between May 5 and May 26. His average donation was $438. 

But Haaland, benefiting from her national name recognition, received nearly $800,000 through more than 15,000 donations over the last three weeks that came from every state in the country, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and a diplomatic post office overseas. Her average donation was $54.

“Should we win the primary, our campaign is in a powerful position to reach New Mexicans across the state about Deb’s vision,” Haaland spokesperson Hannah Menchhoff told Source NM in an emailed statement Friday.

With less than a week until the primary election concludes Tuesday, Haaland has raised nearly $12 million and spent roughly $10 million of it over the course of the campaign. Bregman, in total, has raised a little more than $4.1 million and spent $3.8 million, leaving him with roughly $300,000 on hand. 

The combined $16 million raised between both Democratic primary candidates — plus the roughly $3 million Republicans have raised — makes the 2026 gubernatorial primary nearly as expensive as the entire 2022 general election between Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Republican weatherman Mark Ronchetti.

By the end of that general election in November 2022, Lujan Grisham and Ronchetti had raised nearly $22 million combined.

Bregman’s spokesperson, Joanie Griffin, said Haaland’s fundraising advantage does not mean she’s winning the primary. 

“Campaigns aren’t won on paper,” she said in a text message Friday. “They’re won on the ground. We’re seeing real momentum across New Mexico…Sam’s message is breaking through because voters are ready for strong leadership focused on safety, jobs, and healthcare. We’ll see the real results on Tuesday.”

Fundraising in the Democratic gubernatorial primary dwarfs that of the Republican gubernatorial primary, where three candidates — former Rio Rancho mayor Gregg Hull, businessman Doug Turner and cannabis mogul Duke Rodriguez — have collectively raised a little more than $3 million over the course of the campaign, including a little more than $1.5 million that Rodriguez donated to his campaign.

Of the three Republicans, Turner spent the most money in the last month. He reported spending more than $400,000, most of it on digital and radio advertising, according to the campaign filings.