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Gabe Vasquez

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Gabe Vasquez
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Mexico's 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded byYvette Herrell
Member of the Las Cruces City Council
from the 3rd district
In office
November 2017 – December 2021
Preceded byOlga Pedroza
Succeeded byBecki Graham
Personal details
Born (1984-08-03) August 3, 1984 (age 40)
El Paso, Texas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationNew Mexico State University (BA)
WebsiteHouse website

Gabriel Vasquez (born August 3, 1984)[1] is an American politician who is the U.S. representative for New Mexico's 2nd congressional district. He previously served as a member of the Las Cruces City Council.[2][3] Vasquez is a member of the Democratic Party.

Early life and education

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Vasquez was born in El Paso, Texas, and raised in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.[4][5] He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and journalism from New Mexico State University in 2008.[6] As a college student, Vasquez was the news editor and editor-in-chief of The Round Up, New Mexico State University's student-run newspaper.

Career

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From 2008 to 2011, he was the business editor of the Las Cruces Bulletin. In 2011, he was the executive director of the Las Cruces Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. From 2013 to 2015, he served as a field representative for Senator Martin Heinrich.[7]

In 2015 and 2016, Vasquez was the vice president of communications for First Focus, a Washington, D.C.–based advocacy organization. From 2016 to 2018, he was the director of community relations for the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. In 2018 and 2019, he was the deputy director of New Mexico's chapter of the Wilderness Society. From 2019 to 2021, he worked as deputy director of the Western Conservation Foundation in the federal lands department. From 2017 to 2021, he served as a member of the Las Cruces City Council.[8][9]

U.S. House of Representatives

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Elections

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2022

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Vasquez was the Democratic nominee for New Mexico's 2nd congressional district in the 2022 election.[10][11] He won on November 8, 2022, by a margin of about 1,300 votes, defeating Republican incumbent Yvette Herrell. The district's boundaries were redrawn after the 2020 census, drawing the previously Republican-leaning district to be Democratic-leaning.[12]

During the campaign, Vasquez deleted tweets attacking the oil and gas industry, rationalizing rioting in the summer of 2020, and comparing the Trump administration to the Ku Klux Klan.[13]

2024

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Main article: 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico

Vasquez ran for reelection in 2024 against Republican former Congresswoman Yvette Herrell. It was a rematch of their 2022 race, where Vasquez won by just 1,350 votes.[14] Vasquez once again defeated Herrell, this time by a larger margin of nearly 12,000 votes, despite Donald Trump narrowly flipping his congressional district in the concurrent presidential election.[15]

Tenure

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Abortion

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Vazquez supports abortion rights and codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law. At a 2024 rally in Las Cruces, Vazquez stated "We have to make sure that we elect a congress and that we elect a Senate that will be able to codify Roe v. Wade into law in the next two years."[16]

COVID-19 policy

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On January 31, 2023, Vasquez voted to require health care workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.[17][18]

On February 1, 2023, Vasquez voted against a resolution to end the COVID-19 national emergency.[19][20]

Education

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In 2023, Vazquez introduced bipartisan legislation to address the ongoing teacher shortage in Indian Country.[21] The bill would give federal pensions to educators.[22][23]

Energy

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Vasquez supported President Joe Biden's freeze on oil and gas leases.[24]

Syria

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In 2023, Vasquez voted against H.Con.Res. 21, which would have ended U.S. troops' involvement in the American-led intervention in the Syrian civil war within 180 days.[25]

2024 presidential nominee

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On July 19, 2024, Vasquez called for Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 United States presidential election.[26]

Caucus memberships

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Committee assignments

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Electoral history

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2022

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2022 New Mexico's 2nd congressional district election[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gabe Vasquez 96,986 50.34
Republican Yvette Herrell (incumbent) 95,636 49.63
Democratic Eliseo Luna (write-in) 51 0.03
Total votes 192,673 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

See also

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References

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  1. ^ McDevitt, Michael (April 30, 2021). "Gabe Vasquez Won't Seek Second City Council Term". Las Cruces Sun News. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  2. ^ Linan, Ali (November 7, 2017). "Gabriel Vasquez takes District 3 seat in a landslide". Las Cruces Sun-News. Archived from the original on December 20, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  3. ^ McDevitt, Michael (November 3, 2021). "Becki Graham to succeed Gabe Vasquez on Las Cruces City Council". Las Cruces Sun-News. Archived from the original on December 20, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  4. ^ "Las Cruces City Councilor Gabe Vasquez Says He's Running For Congress". KRWG. September 15, 2021. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  5. ^ "Las Cruces city councilor will run for U.S. House seat". Santa Fe New Mexican. September 15, 2021. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  6. ^ McDevitt, Michael. "Las Cruces City Councilor Gabe Vasquez announces congressional run". Las Cruces Sun-News. Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  7. ^ "Gabe Vasquez On His Run For NM's Second Congressional District Democratic Nomination". KSFR. October 8, 2021. Archived from the original on March 31, 2022. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  8. ^ Carver, Adrian N. (September 16, 2021). "Las Cruces City Councilor Gabe Vasquez Is A Serious Challenger to Herrell In CD2". The Paper. Archived from the original on March 31, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  9. ^ Mutnick, Ally; Ferris, Sarah (May 9, 2022). "Democrats' chance to save the House majority runs through these districts". Politico. Archived from the original on May 9, 2022. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  10. ^ Mutnick, Ally (March 10, 2022). "House Democrats name top challengers in fight for majority". Politico. Archived from the original on April 21, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  11. ^ "New Mexico Democrats pick top contenders for June 7 primary". Associated Press. March 4, 2022. Archived from the original on April 21, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  12. ^ Duerrmeyer, Tia. "Democrats Make a Clean Sweep in New Mexico". Lea County Tribune. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  13. ^ "Running as a moderate, New Mexico Democratic congressional candidate deletes progressive tweets". CNN. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  14. ^ Grisales, Claudia. "The contest in one New Mexico swing district mirrors a larger, anxious electorate". NPR. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  15. ^ "New Mexico 2nd District". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  16. ^ Garcia, Justin. "Dems rally in Las Cruces over abortion access amid counter-protest". Las Cruces Sun-News. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  17. ^ Aabram, Virginia (January 31, 2023). "Seven Democrats join Republicans in vote to lift vaccine mandate for healthcare workers". The Washington Examiner. Archived from the original on March 19, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  18. ^ "On Passage - H.R.497: To eliminate the COVID-19 vaccine mandate on". August 12, 2015. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  19. ^ "House passes resolution to end COVID-19 national emergency". February 2023. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  20. ^ "On Passage - H.J.RES.7: Relating to a national emergency declared by". August 12, 2015. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  21. ^ Time, Indian. "Bipartisan Effort Seeks to Address Teacher Shortage in Indian Country with the Parity for Tribal Educators Act". Indian Time. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  22. ^ MacDonald, Alexander (June 17, 2024). "Cronkite News: Bipartisan bill seeks to boost hiring of Indian Country teachers". Indianz.Com. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  23. ^ "Bill aims to ease teacher shortage at tribal schools". ICT News. June 19, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  24. ^ "ICE needs 'melting,' says Democratic House hopeful critical of immigration agency".
  25. ^ "House Votes Down Bill Directing Removal of Troops From Syria". Associated Press. March 8, 2023.
  26. ^ "Every Big Name Urging Biden To Drop Out: Sen. Sherrod Brown Joins 35 Democrats In Congress". Forbes. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  27. ^ "Endorsed Candidates". NewDem Action Fund. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  28. ^ Adragna, Anthony; Diaz, Daniella; Tully-Mcmanus, Katherine (June 15, 2023). "Bipartisan support for blocking arms to a NATO nation". Politico. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  29. ^ "2022 General New Mexico - Unofficial Results". New Mexico Secretary of State. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Mexico's 2nd congressional district
2023–present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
422nd 		Succeeded by
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