LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman officially launched his campaign for governor Thursday in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

He’s now challenging former New Mexico Congresswoman, and former U.S. Interior Secretary, Deb Haaland for the democratic nomination.

Bregman kept his introductory speech pretty short – about 15 minutes long – relying on his accomplishments as the Bernalillo County district attorney to underscore why he believes he’s the right person to lead New Mexico into a new era. He made it clear he’s running on his own ideas.

“I’m not a creature of Washington. I’m not someone who will pass an ideological purity litmus test from the extreme elements of my party. But as your next governor, I will be committed to getting results,” said Bregman. 

Bregman is focusing his campaign on four big issues: crime, education, healthcare, and the economy. It should be no surprise Bregman wants to improve public safety in New Mexico. He was very outspoken during this year’s legislative session about the need to address juvenile crime statewide. 

But it seems Bregman will need to prove to New Mexico voters he’s got the right ideas for everything else.

Griffin Rushton: “Why do you think you’re qualified to handle some of those issues, like health care, education, environment, some other issues we know our state leader needs to be, you know, on top of?”

“Because I get results, and we were able to get results the last couple of two plus years as the DA hired over 80 lawyers in our office, convicted 300 people of murder, convicted over 2,000 people of DWI. I mean, we’ve been focused, and we’ve been getting the job done. And I think that’s what people want in their leader in New Mexico, is to get stuff done. You know, we have such, such potential in New Mexico, and I don’t think we’ve ever lived up to it. Now we need to live up to it. We were first in crime and 50th in education, that needs to be reversed,” said Bregman. 

Bregman already has a notable reputation in the Albuquerque metro area, and Santa Fe. So it seems his campaign will be focused on building a relationship with rural New Mexico, and that’s largely why he launched his campaign in northern New Mexico.