Democrat Haaland keeping money edge in U.S. House race

ALBUQUERQUE — Democrat Debra Haaland is maintaining her fundraising edge over her Republican and Libertarian opponents for an open U.S. House seat in Central New Mexico.

According to new Federal Election Commission filings, the Laguna Pueblo member and former state Democratic Party chairwoman raised $159,954 during the first two weeks of October.

Republican former state lawmaker Janice Arnold-Jones pulled in $21,510 and Libertarian Lloyd Princeton raised $444, reports show.

Haaland’s campaign reported having $143,028 cash on hand Oct. 17.

Arnold-Jones reported $30,104 cash on hand, while Princeton had $625.

The filings come as Haaland is seeking to become one of the first Native American women elected to Congress, along with Kansas Democrat Sharice Davids.

All three candidates are vying to succeed Democratic Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who is running for New Mexico governor, in a district that has leaned Democratic in recent elections. Democrats consider the Central New Mexico seat safe and it has been held by a Democrat since 2009.

Throughout the campaign, Haaland has repeatedly told voters that Congress “has never had a voice like mine” and vowed to make New Mexico — a state that relies on oil and gas revenues to fund education — 100 percent reliant on renewable sources of energy in the new future.

Arnold-Jones has suggested in interviews that there may have been other Native American women in Congress and said that Haaland didn’t grow up on an American Indian reservation.

However, Arnold-Jones does not appear to be getting the same support for Republicans as U.S. House candidate Yvette Herrell has in a closely watched race in Southern New Mexico.