When business supports its opponents like Deb Haaland

Corporate political giving is an interesting creature especially when the industry in question is relatively new and the business is unfamiliar to New Mexico. The latest is Oracle and its components which is currently building the massive and very controversial Project Jupiter in Santa Teresa, NM. The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that donors associated with Oracle have “made sizable donations to Haaland amounting to at least $74,800 — even though Haaland has been critical of their industry on the campaign trail.” Her counterpart, Republican Gregg Hull has received NOTHING.

We can also verify that, while the Rio Grande Foundation is a 501c3 organization that broadly supports data centers and (unlike politicians) can work to refute anti-data center arguments on both sides of the political aisle without disclosing our donors, has received no support from Oracle or other aligned funders.

Why?

It is hard to say. Perhaps the folks behind Oracle believe the election is a lost cause (it clearly isn’t). Perhaps they know Hull already is broadly supportive of data centers and don’t care to help him? How about working with non-political but aligned groups like RGF to simply correct the public record? It’s impossible for us to say what their logic is.

We know Deb Haaland’s “progressive” base is the most anti economic development group in New Mexico. They don’t JUST opposed data centers, but generally don’t care about economic development. No amount of political contributions will make her support them or any other economic growth in New Mexico. Will Haaland’s base which supports Haaland in spite (or because) of her manifest shortcomings be moved because she is taking big checks from Oracle? Only time will tell.