Gabe Vasquez is the Democratic incumbent seeking a third term representing New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District, a border-region seat that has been among the most competitive in the country in each of his prior two races. He won the seat in 2022 by less than one percentage point and expanded his margin to over four points in his 2024 rematch, both times defeating Republican Yvette Herrell. He ran unopposed in the 2026 Democratic primary and faces Republican Greg Cunningham in November.

A first-generation Mexican-American raised in the El Paso-Juárez-Las Cruces border region, Vasquez earned a bachelor's degree in English and journalism from New Mexico State University. He began his career as a journalist and later served as executive director of the Las Cruces Hispanic Chamber of Commerce before joining U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich's staff as a field representative. In 2017, he was elected to the Las Cruces City Council with over 70% of the vote, where he helped secure funding for parks and infrastructure and was instrumental in the designation of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument.

In Congress, Vasquez has built a reputation as one of the more bipartisan members of the House Democratic caucus, ranking 14th among House Democrats nationally on a Roll Call bipartisanship analysis. He serves on the House Agriculture and Armed Services Committees, has introduced bipartisan legislation on issues ranging from tribal education and veterans' benefits to public lands protection and livestock disease response, and his office reports returning more than $5 million to constituents through casework.