Overview:
Bregman's campaign blamed opponents for “manufacturing bogus and petty charges.”
Substantial portions of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Sam Bregman’s platform he released on Thursday appear to be copied from government reports, legislation and news reports without attribution.
The issues were discovered in Bregman’s 189-page policy platform, which the Bernalillo County district attorney unveiled Thursday during a press conference at his Albuquerque campaign headquarters.
Bregman’s campaign denied lifting the language from other sources and blamed opponents for “manufacturing bogus and petty charges.”
“We worked with a team of experts and gathered the best programs, practices and recommendations that exist across the nation,” Bregman spokesperson Joanie Griffin told New Mexico Political Report. “These plans were never about taking credit. They were about lifting up the voices of the educators, workers and experts who helped us create them.”
Bregman’s policy platform included sections on water use and oil and gas policy that appear to be borrowed from a 2019 presentation archived online from the New Mexico Environment Department explaining a proposal to allow water used in oil and gas development, so-called “produced water,” to be reused in other industries. Bregman’s policy says:
“As governor, I will:… Support and promote the filling of science and technology gaps regarding what contaminants are in the produced water generated in New Mexico, how the produced water can be treated for safe re-use, and what changes are needed to our state water quality standards to protect water resources and human health.”
The NMED presentation included this section:
“Examples of NMED’s research questions related to filling the science and technology gaps: What contaminants are in the produced water generated in NM? How can the produced water be treated to be safe? What changes are needed to our state water quality standards to protect water resources and human health?”
A Bregman policy on Native American education borrows heavily from a 2024 report on Native education in New Mexico published by the U.S. Commission of Civil Rights, with one notable edit.
The original report states:
To address the achievement gap for Native American students, the PED has noted the importance of offering extended learning time programs, after-school and summer enrichment, community school grants, equitable instructional materials, targeted and comprehensive support for struggling schools, breakfast for elementary school students, and teen pregnancy support. (Emphasis added)
Bregman’s policy copies that section almost word-for-word, except Bregman’s policy replaces support for “breakfast” for elementary school students with “breaks” for students:
As governor, I will:… Expand extended learning time programs, after-school and summer enrichment, community school grants and equitable instructional materials.
Provide targeted and comprehensive support for struggling schools, breaks for elementary school students that have proven to help learning, and teen pregnancy support. (Emphasis added)
The document also shows that Bregman’s proposals for addressing missing and murdered indigenous women were almost identical to those from a New Mexico Legislature fact sheet.
Other policies include direct copies of language from the Indian Education Act.
“Our experts have worked in these policy areas for decades, and we are happy to use ideas that have a proven track record. That is not plagiarism – it is information in the public arena,” Griffin said. “Sam stands by every word in all of these policies. Those who worked with him to create them believe that he is the best candidate to get these ideas accomplished.”
The revelations come as a poll conducted by Haaland’s campaign in mid-August showed her with a 36-point lead over Bregman among likely Democratic primary voters.
During Thursday’s policy rollout, Bregman challenged Haaland to engage in policy debates, saying voters deserved to contrast their positions.
“She can bring her plans, or if she doesn’t have them, she can debate mine. I am sure we will have our differences,” Bregman said.
Dylan McArthur, Haaland’s campaign manager, criticized the policy document on Thursday, describing it as riddled with typos and repeated paragraphs that he called “absolute gibberish.”
“We are happy to be running on Deb Haaland’s long record of accomplishment for New Mexico instead of half-baked plans that no one even took the time to proofread,” McArthur said.
Bregman told New Mexico Political Report on Friday, “Deb Haaland wants to distract with arguments about typos and footnoting sources, and I want to debate her about the big challenges that this state faces.”
Haaland has amassed significant support in the race, garnering endorsements from New Mexico’s Sen. Ben Ray Lujan and Reps. Melanie Stansbury, Gabe Vasquez and Teresa Leger Fernandez — as well as former Sen. and Ambassador Tom Udall, multiple progressive organizations and tribal nations.
“It’s obvious that Deb is manufacturing bogus and petty charges and continues to dodge our question of when she will debate Sam on the policies,” Griffin said. “She has yet to share her ideas for how to address the problems facing our state. Our question to the Haaland campaign – will you stop listening and start standing for something?
The primary also includes Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima, who received 9% support in the August poll and gave a campaign update to New Mexico Political Report Thursday.
Bregman has positioned himself as a moderate willing to challenge both the Trump administration and what he calls “intolerant factions” within the Democratic Party. His policy blueprint includes proposals ranging from building 1,000 miles of new energy transmission lines to expanding nutrition programs and revising the state’s children’s code.