Haaland’s ‘debate’ panned as far-left game show for progressive activists

Saturday’s Democrat gubernatorial “debate” looked less like a serious forum for voters and more like a carefully curated progressive showcase — complete with activist-selected questions, audience participation gimmicks, and even a pre-debate game show format.

Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman took the stage at Central New Mexico Community College for what organizers branded “The Debate Games,” the only scheduled faceoff between the two Democrats before the June 2 primary. But unlike the recent Republican gubernatorial debate aired by KOAT-TV, Saturday’s event was not a traditional journalist-moderated debate focused on broad voter concerns.

Instead, the event was organized by the left-wing nonprofit Dukes Up and featured questions sourced from progressive activist organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, Indivisible Albuquerque, Jewish Voice for Peace, and the Center for Biological Diversity, among others. 

According to New Mexico PBS, the event also included a system where audience members waved flags to determine whether candidates had answered questions sufficiently — with candidates losing speaking time if the crowd disapproved.

Even Bregman, who had spent months demanding Haaland debate him, admitted afterward that the event was no real debate.

“It wasn’t a debate,” Bregman told reporters, criticizing the format as overly narrow and saying the audience and question pool did not reflect a true cross-section of New Mexico voters, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican and Source New Mexico.

“This is actually special interest groups asking questions,” Bregman said before the event. “I don’t think anybody should be fooled into thinking that this is a real debate, because it simply is not,” he added, per the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Despite their occasional differences in tone, the two Democrats were largely aligned on core policy issues throughout the evening.

Both candidates blasted President Donald Trump and vowed to oppose federal immigration enforcement efforts. Haaland declared the country is in a “break-glass moment” and accused Trump of “wreaking havoc” on New Mexico, according to Source New Mexico. Bregman similarly pledged to confront immigration agents he says violate constitutional rights.

On economic issues, both candidates embraced expanded tax credits and further government intervention to address affordability. Both also backed continuation of New Mexico’s universal child care program.

Where the candidates diverged most noticeably was on energy and environmental issues.

Haaland took a hardline stance against major data center projects like Project Jupiter in Doña Ana County, saying, “I just believe very strongly that data centers don’t have the best interests of our community at heart,” according to Source New Mexico.

Bregman, by contrast, struck a more measured tone, saying data centers “if done right” could benefit communities and bring substantial construction jobs.

The candidates also split over produced water reuse from oil and gas operations. Haaland opposed broader reuse, saying “the science is still out” and warning the water could be dangerous if released into the environment. Bregman appeared more open to treated reuse, likening it to recycled wastewater used in parks and golf courses.

On the proposed Blackstone takeover of PNM Resources, Haaland sharply attacked private equity, saying such firms are accountable to “their shareholders, not the community, not New Mexicans,” while Bregman said the utility may need outside capital but insisted any deal must include protections against rate hikes.

Throughout the event, however, little direct confrontation occurred between the candidates, with both mostly using their time to tout their own records and “progressive” credentials rather than meaningfully sparring.

The event ended with the audience chanting “Deb, Deb, Deb!” — underscoring what many observers noted was a heavily pro-Haaland atmosphere.

With Haaland already leading comfortably in polling, Saturday’s so-called “Debate Games” did little to resemble the kind of substantive, broadly focused debate voters typically expect in a gubernatorial race.

Instead, it served primarily as a progressive policy showcase — and one that even one of the participants declined to call a real debate.The “debate” will air Thursday on New Mexico PBS’ YouTube channel at 7:00 p.m.