- In 2024, NM- was one of 13 districts nationwide that elected a Democratic congressman but gave more votes to Trump.
As of July, New Mexico’s registered voters include 570,873 Democrats (42.1%), 436,647 Republicans (32.2%), 26,864 “Other” (2%), and 320,988 Unaffiliated (23.7%). Unaffiliated voters can cast ballots for either major party in the primary.
Born in and living in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Vasquez earned a BA in English and journalism from New Mexico State University. He worked as a journalist, in public relations, as executive director of the Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces, as field representative for U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and served as the district 3 city council for the City of Las Cruces.
In 2024, Vasquez was re-elected by 4 points in a rematch against former Republican Representative Yvette Herrell. Vasquez flipped the seat in 2022, the first election after the district’s boundaries were redrawn by the state legislature.
Vasquez is hitting hard against what the Republican’s budget is doing to his district, saying its small-time farmers and ranchers, small grocery stores, in rural will be devastated by Republican food assistance cuts.
Vasquez’ opponent is a conservative talk show host who ran unsuccessfully for major in Albuquerque. The following year he pleaded no contest to a charge of aggravated DWI.
NM-02 spans much of southern New Mexico, including cities like Las Cruces, and extends to include parts of Albuquerque.
Take Action New Mexico
NM-02 (Vasquez - D)
New Mexico has a strong Democratic presence. All three of New Mexico’s U.S. Congressmen are Democrats, the current governor is a Democrat, and Democrats are the majority in both state senate and house. However, the margins of victory enjoyed by the Democrats have been shrinking.
The state’s 2nd Congressional District reflects what is happening in the rest of the state. When U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez ran in 2022, Cook rated the race as D+1; now its rating is Even. The GOP is targeting Vasquez in hopes of shoring up their majority in the House. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the principal fundraising and electoral arm of the Democratic Party, has named Vasquez a member of its Frontline program, which aims to protect the seats of vulnerable Democrats.
