Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland appealed to struggling families on Monday night amid donors and supporters at a fundraising event in Albuquerque.
In a room packed with fifty voters in downtown Albuquerque, Haaland spoke about the importance of using Medicaid and SNAP food assistance programs when raising her young daughter.
“I don't know what I would have done without SNAP benefits. And so all of those things are in jeopardy because of what Donald Trump is doing,” Haaland said.
Trump last month signed a reconciliation bill that cut over $1 trillion from Medicaid and food assistance programs over the next 10 years.
Stephanie Lucero, a single mother from Albuquerque and an employee at United Healthcare said she relates with Haaland.
“I'm a single mom, also. I come [sic] up through the food stamps and worked my way into a job. And there's nothing wrong with that. That's what it's for,” she said.
Last month, the Pueblo of Sandia announced they were endorsing Haaland’s opponent, Sam Bregman, in the governor’s race which may sway the Native American vote that was assumed to be in Haaland’s favor. Lucero said that people like to stereotype Haaland and she doesn’t think that’s fair.
“Deb is a fighter. She's not just Native American, not just a woman. She is in it for the people,” she said.
Megan Long, another stay-at-home mother from Albuquerque attended the event with her daughter Lilianna and said Deb Haaland is an ideal candidate for governor.
“She truly represents us. We're Navajo. I'd love to have a positive role model in our state for my daughter. I think she has very strong ideas, and I really look up to and look forward to the leadership of a Native woman,” she said.
If elected, Haaland would be the first female Native American governor in the United States.
Support for this coverage comes from the Thornburg Foundation.
