Haaland reports more than $4M in contributions

Danielle Prokop, Source New Mexico

This article was originally published by Source New Mexico.

It remains to be seen if the 2026 race for New Mexico governor will break the fundraising record set in 2022, but the two Democratic frontrunners have already pulled in millions of dollars in campaign contributions, according to the latest filings with the New Mexico Secretary of State.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, also a Democrat, can’t run again due to term limits. Her last general election against Republican Mark Ronchetti in 2022 broke campaign spending records. She raised nearly $13 million and he raised more than $9 million.

Deb Haaland, a former U.S. Secretary of the Interior and previous member of the U.S. House of Representatives for New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District, reported in a news release raising a little over $4 million in campaign contributions in the last six months. However, Haaland’s full report was not publicly available on the Secretary of State’s website by the state filing deadline of Oct. 14. A campaign spokesperson told Source NM via email: the report “was so large it overwhelmed the SOS website,” and also said it could not be shared through email.

The most recent filing date covers donations and spending in between April and September. The next reports will be due next year.

Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver confirmed in a text message to Source NM Haaland’s recent filing was too large for the system and said the state has been “working with them and the vendor to get it parsed properly so we can upload.” As of the end of the day Wednesday, Haaland’s report had not yet appeared on the site.

In a statement about the donations, Haaland thanked her supporters, noting she has received more than 21,000 donations from New Mexicans since announcing her campaign in January.

“I look forward to continuing to travel the state, hearing directly from New Mexicans about their struggles, and what they want to see in plans for affordability, healthcare, education, and public safety,” she said.

Source will provide reporting on Haaland’s top donors when the report becomes available.

Her closest competitor contribution-wise, Sam Bregman, has raised $2.4 million in campaign contributions since April. Of the more than 2,240 recorded donations, about 20% were from out-of-state contributors. Bregman, the top prosecutor for the 2nd Judicial District in Bernalillo County, announced his candidacy in April.

“This campaign is powered by New Mexicans who want a candidate with a real common-sense plan for the future.” Bregman said in a statement. “As the outsider in this race, nobody expected us to raise this kind of money. But I’ve never been one to shy away from hard work. This incredible show of support proves folks are ready for something new.”

Bregman’s largest campaign donors include New York Investment firm Garnett Station Partners and the Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino; and Thomas Jorden, the CEO at Texas oil company Coterra Energy. His son, Boston Sox third baseman Alex Bregman also donated the maximum: $12,400.

The third Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ken Miyagishima, the former longtime mayor of Las Cruces and insurance salesman, raised just over $19,000 since April, and loaned his campaign more than $50,000.

In a call with Source NM, Miyagishima said he planned to ramp up fundraising in the next month.

“If you look at all my previous elections, I probably financed about 80% to 90% of them,” he said. “That’s not the preferred method, but I just have a hard time asking people for money.”

Of the four announced Republican candidates, Rio Rancho Mayor Greggory Hull pulled in the most donations — just over $123,000 since April. His top donors include Brady Lovelady, owner of Perfection Honda in Rio Rancho; retired business owner Nancy Nunnally from Rio Rancho; and Roswell car dealership owners Tom and Linda Krumland.

“Our campaign is proud to have raised over $329,000, the most of any candidate in the Republican primary,” Hull said in a statement to Source NM. “Considering that we reached this milestone before even announcing, we’re encouraged by the level of support and momentum behind this campaign.”

Three other Republican candidates who have filed paperwork to run, but have not declared formal campaigns yet, all reported no expenditures or donations in the last six months.

They include Brian Cillessen, a 53-year-old Farmington resident, veteran, and hunting show host; and Duke Rodriguez, CEO of Ultra Health Cannabis and a former cabinet secretary for former Republican Governor Gary Johnson. Las Cruces personal trainer and businesswoman Belinda Robertson did not file a report.

Two candidates have declared a campaign for governor without political party affiliation. Jacob Smith, a Rio Rancho resident, reported a sole donation of $2,000 from himself. Gene Pettit, a nondenominational pastor in Radium Springs, reported two donations from himself and a donation of $1.25 from an Alamogordo resident.

New Mexico’s primary election will be held June 2, 2026.

Danielle Prokop covers the environment and local government for Source New Mexico.