Democratic candidates for New Mexico governor, Deb Haaland and Sam Bregman, participated in an interactive policy event at Central New Mexico Community College on Saturday evening, responding to questions from local organizations and members of the community. The event, titled “Dukes Up Presents: The Debate Games,” drew a crowd of more than 100 attendees to Smith Brasher Hall.

The format was designed to engage candidates with questions submitted by groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, Albuquerque Indivisible, and Jewish Voice For Peace. Candidates had 90 seconds to answer, followed by a 60-second rebuttal and a 30-second final response—contingent on approval from a panel of undecided voters who indicated whether the candidate satisfactorily addressed the question by waving flags. Failure to earn a flag wave meant losing the 30-second response.

The event took place against a backdrop of campaign tensions, with Bregman publicly criticizing Haaland for declining debate invitations earlier this year. Haaland, the former U.S. Interior Secretary, opted out of two debates hosted by Albuquerque-based television networks, prompting Bregman to accuse her of evading public discourse. Nonetheless, Bregman clarified after Saturday that the event was not a formal debate.

The evening began with a unique challenge where teams of high school students attempted to match each candidate’s policy positions to multiple-choice questions. Haaland’s team demonstrated greater alignment, outscoring Bregman’s, who appeared frustrated at times. After claiming victory in the preliminary round, Haaland granted Bregman the choice to deliver his opening remarks.

In his opening statement, Bregman underscored themes of opposition to the Trump administration, focusing on healthcare, education, and crime prevention. He questioned New Mexico’s future prospects for retaining young residents, stressing the importance of opportunity. Haaland opened with an Indigenous greeting and emphasized her record of accomplishments in Washington, promising initiatives to improve early childhood literacy, food security, and housing stability.

Throughout the event, the candidates largely avoided direct critiques of one another, instead elaborating on their own policy visions. When asked about affordability strategies, both proposed expanding childcare and family tax credits. Bregman advocated for a $500 tax credit for households earning under $200,000 annually, while Haaland talked about introducing a public healthcare option and advancing clean energy projects to reduce utility bills.

On economic diversification, Haaland proposed reinvesting in technology startups and the film industry with an emphasis on sustainability. Bregman favored leveraging oil revenues to fund renewable energy development.

A notable divergence emerged on the topic of data centers. Bregman highlighted the potential community benefits if such projects were managed carefully, emphasizing resource conservation such as desalination instead of fresh water use and minimizing energy grid impacts. Haaland countered that data centers do not prioritize community interests and suggested investing in affordable housing as a better source of construction jobs.

The candidates also addressed issues related to military funding and immigration enforcement. Bregman acknowledged that the governor lacks military authority but criticized excessive war spending if it reduces funding for programs like Medicaid. He praised Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s efforts to protect Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits following federal cuts. Haaland stated she would pressure Congress to hold the Trump administration accountable over such issues and referenced her past efforts in this regard. Bregman responded to Haaland’s claim by expressing skepticism but accepted her statement.

Both candidates condemned the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Haaland pledged to prevent state resources from aiding federal immigration enforcement and to exclude immigration agents from schools and places of worship. Bregman said he would hold immigration officials accountable for rights violations and emphasized the importance of upholding constitutional protections.

In closing, Bregman reiterated his focus on leadership grounded in his prosecutorial experience and tackling education, healthcare, and affordability challenges. Haaland described the race as a critical juncture, warning of the Trump administration’s damaging impact on New Mexico through cuts to safety net programs. She called on supporters to join her campaign.

The event is scheduled to air on New Mexico PBS Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 9 p.m., and will be available subsequently on the PBS app and NMPBS YouTube channel.

According to a Journal Poll released on April 26, Haaland holds a 52% lead among likely Democratic and independent voters, with Bregman at 30%, while the remainder remain undecided. New Mexico’s Democratic primary is set for June 2, ahead of the general election in November.