Climate Champion on Track to Be First Native American Woman in Congress

As primary results in dozens of races across the nation came in on Wednesday, climate action and immigrant rights groups were among those celebrating former New Mexico Democratic Party leader Deb Haaland’s victory in the primary for the state’s 1st congressional district.

“Deb Haaland’s primary win is a historic victory for the climate movement,” said May Boeve, executive director of 350 Action, in a statement. “Deb is the type of climate leader we’ve yet to see on Capitol Hill. She is inspiring people everywhere with her unapologetic progressive platform to stand up for Indigenous rights and keep fossil fuels in the ground. We need leadership like Deb’s in Congress to move us toward a fossil-free world that works for all of us.”

Haaland has focused her campaign on progressive causes including fighting against new fossil fuel infrastructure while expanding the use of renewable energy; repealing the Republican Party’s tax plan; enforcing a $15 federal minimum wage; defunding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which she calls “an out of control institution that is terrorizing American families”; and establishing Medicare for All.

LET’S GOOOOOOOOO @Deb4CongressNM supports a federal job guarantee, defunding ICE, 100 percent renewable energy economy, financial transactions tax, free childcare. https://t.co/ZrWvkbAtkh

— Nikhil Goyal (@nikhilgoya_l) June 6, 2018

Haaland is also one of the 2018 candidates supporting the defunding ICE: “It is time to pull our tax dollars from an agency whose policies demean and abuse people.” https://t.co/EhPsfdgmVu #DefundICE

— Gabe #DreamActNow Ortíz (@TUSK81) June 6, 2018

“Tonight, New Mexico made history,” Haaland said after gathering  38.9 percent of the vote on Tuesday evening, winning the primary with an 11 percent margin. The result, she said, was “a victory for working people, a victory for women, and a victory for everyone who has been sidelined by the billionaire class.”

“Donald Trump and the billionaire class should consider this victory a warning shot: the blue wave is coming,” she added.

Haaland’s candidacy also puts her on track to be the first Native American woman to serve in Congress.

Haaland is also one of the 2018 candidates supporting the defunding ICE: “It is time to pull our tax dollars from an agency whose policies demean and abuse people.” https://t.co/EhPsfdgmVu #DefundICE

— Gabe #DreamActNow Ortíz (@TUSK81) June 6, 2018

Haaland will run against Republican Janice Arnold-Jones in November. New Mexico’s 1st congressional district is considered solidly Democratic.

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