Apr. 10—SANTA FE — Sam Bregman is hoping his long and winding political journey will take him from the courthouse to the Roundhouse.
The Bernalillo County District Attorney will announce his 2026 campaign for governor on Thursday in Las Vegas, New Mexico, setting up a primary election showdown against fellow Democrat Deb Haaland.
Both Bregman and Haaland are former state Democratic Party chairs, but the race between them — which could also be joined by other candidates — could feature plenty of differences.
Bregman, 61, has spent the last two-plus years as the top prosecutor in New Mexico’s most populous county since being appointed to the job by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. He won reelection to a new term last year and pushed unsuccessfully during this year’s 60-day legislative session for tougher juvenile crime laws.
Bregman’s legal background could contrast with Haaland, who launched her campaign in February after stepping down as U.S. Interior secretary.
In a statement announcing his campaign, Bregman said New Mexico was “under attack” from President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Republicans in Washington, D.C.
“I’m running to take on the chaos in Washington and protect the people of New Mexico,” Bregman said.
“Not only do we need to protect our freedoms and democratic values in our state, we still have more work to do to address issues affecting everyday New Mexicans,” he added, citing crime, health care access, housing, public schools and economic opportunities as key issues facing the state.
Bregman has a long history in New Mexico politics.
He served as state Democratic Party chairman from 2013 until 2015 and previously served as an Albuquerque city councilor. But Bregman angered some Democrats as party chairman by suggesting that state Sen. John Arthur Smith, a moderate Democrat who chaired the Senate Finance Committee, should leave the party due to his role in blocking an early childhood education funding measure.
Bregman has also defended several clients in high-profile criminal cases.
He was the lead defense attorney for former New Mexico State Treasurer Robert Vigil in a public corruption case that ended with Vigil being sentenced to prison time for receiving kickbacks.
Bregman also was the defense attorney for one of two Albuquerque Police Department officers accused, but ultimately not convicted, of murder after the death of James Boyd, a homeless individual with a history of mental illness, in 2014.
University of New Mexico political science professor Gabriel Sanchez said Bregman’s entry into the race makes next year’s Democratic primary race more compelling.
While next year’s primary election is still more than a year away, he said Bregman has work to do since Haaland has already announced more than $2 million in campaign contributions.
“He’s still got plenty of time and a lot of runway to be able to make up some ground,” Sanchez told the Journal.
He also said Bregman’s decision to officially launch his campaign in Las Vegas could be in part aimed at Hispanic voters in a traditional Democratic stronghold, though he said Bregman must also win over other voters, too.
“I think showcasing his announcement in Las Vegas also is probably an opportunity to court northern New Mexico voters regardless of their race and ethnicity,” said Sanchez.
New Mexico’s primary election for governor is set for June 2026, with the general election to take place in November.
The race will be an open contest, since Lujan Grisham is term-limited and barred from seeking a third consecutive term as governor.
This is a developing story that will be updated.