Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland set to become first Native American woman governor

Deb Haaland is set to become the first Native American woman to serve as governor of a U.S. state. The milestone stands in contrast to the experiences of women in her home community of Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico, where tribal laws and customs often restrict women from holding the highest government positions.

The pueblo has 19 sibling communities in New Mexico, and governance varies significantly between them. At Laguna Pueblo, the election code has allowed women to run for council treasurer and secretary since 1996. However, the code does not explicitly permit women to serve as governor or lieutenant governor. The pueblo constitution, which was last amended in 2012, uses the masculine pronouns "he" and "him" when referring to the governor.

Ashley Sarracino, a former member of the Laguna Pueblo council, described the challenges she faced while serving in that role. Sarracino was appointed to the position of council secretary in 2022 after finishing second in a nomination process. She discovered that her salary was $14,000 less than that of her male predecessor. Sarracino asked the pueblo governor for an explanation, which led to a dispute that ended her tenure on the council.

Pueblo officials stated that Sarracino was paid less because she lacked experience and that she abandoned her post. Sarracino argued that the pay discrepancy reflected sexist attitudes embedded in tribal law. Her dispute went to tribal court, but the case was dismissed this year on sovereign immunity grounds. She has since exhausted her appeals.

Haaland told The Associated Press that she was once nominated to serve on her pueblo council but did not advance past a primary. She described the political environment at home as a man's world. "It's still a man's world in a lot of Pueblo communities, and certainly in mine," Haaland said. She also noted that it was easier to raise $1 million and run for Congress than to succeed in Pueblo politics.

Other Pueblo communities have different approaches to governance. Some retain traditional theocracies where roles are appointed by ceremonial elders and reserved for men. Other pueblos, such as Isleta Pueblo, adopted secular constitutions and elections under federal pressure in the 1930s. In 1986, Verna Teller became the first and only woman governor of Isleta Pueblo after a contentious legal battle. Council incumbents had argued that a woman could not hold office under Isleta law, but Teller won in a landslide.

At Pojoaque Pueblo, council positions are open to all candidates without a nomination requirement. Women have held all four executive positions at that community since 2021. Emily Hunt, who became Laguna Pueblo's first female elected official in the late 1990s, believes the pueblo will someday nominate a woman governor. "Whether I'll see it in my lifetime, I don't know," Hunt said.

Sarracino said she was forced off the council after alleging she was paid less because she was a woman, a claim pueblo officials deny. She said the process has been bittersweet to watch Haaland make political history. "We all know she would never have the same opportunity here," Sarracino said.

Teller, now in her 70s, attributed the persistence of patriarchal structures to colonization. She said that when Spanish and Catholic authorities arrived, they marginalized clan mothers, leading to a paternalistic attitude that men must be in charge. "They threw women in the back seat," Teller said.

Sarracino has not ruled out running for pueblo council again. After attending Haaland's election night celebration, she sees a potential path in state politics. On Feast Day, a traditional holiday at Laguna Pueblo, Sarracino helped dress relatives for the harvest dance and fed up to 150 guests. She said she is planning her next move with the younger generation in mind, including her nieces who participated in the morning's dances.