Gabe Vasquez

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.

Gabe Vasquez
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Mexico's 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2023
Preceded by	Yvette Herrell
Member of the Las Cruces City Council from the 3rd district
In office November 2017 – December 2021
Preceded by	Olga Pedroza
Succeeded by	Becki Graham
Personal details
Born	(1984-08-03) August 3, 1984 (age 39) El Paso, Texas, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	New Mexico State University (BA)
Website	House website

Early life and education

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]

Career

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. 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

Elections

2022

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]

Tenure

COVID-19 policy

On January 31, 2023, Vasquez voted to require health care workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.^[14][15]

On February 1, 2023, Vasquez voted against a resolution to end the COVID-19 national emergency.^[16][17]

Energy

Vasquez supported President Joe Biden’s freeze on oil and gas leases.^[18]

Syria

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.^[19][20]

Caucus memberships

• New Democrat Coalition^[21]
• Congressional Hispanic Caucus
• Southwest Caucus^[22](co-founder and co-chair)

Committee assignments

• Committee on Agriculture
  • Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology
  • Subcommittee on Forestry
  • Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Readiness
  • Subcommittee on Strategic Forces

Electoral history

2022

2022 New Mexico's 2nd congressional district election^[23]

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

• List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress

References

1. McDevitt, Michael (April 30, 2021). "Gabe Vasquez Won't Seek Second City Council Term". Las Cruces Sun News. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
14. Aabram, Virginia (January 31, 2023). "Seven Democrats join Republicans in vote to lift vaccine mandate for healthcare workers". The Washington Examiner. from the original on March 19, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
15. "On Passage - H.R.497: To eliminate the COVID-19 vaccine mandate on". August 12, 2015. from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
16. "House passes resolution to end COVID-19 national emergency". February 2023. from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
17. "On Passage - H.J.RES.7: Relating to a national emergency declared by". August 12, 2015. from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
18. "ICE needs 'melting,' says Democratic House hopeful critical of immigration agency".
19. "H.Con.Res. 21: Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of … -- House Vote #136 -- Mar 8, 2023". March 8, 2023.
20. "House Votes Down Bill Directing Removal of Troops From Syria". Associated Press. March 8, 2023.
21. "Endorsed Candidates". NewDem Action Fund. from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
22. Adragna, Anthony; Diaz, Daniella; Tully-Mcmanus, Katherine (June 15, 2023). "Bipartisan support for blocking arms to a NATO nation". Politico. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
23. "2022 General New Mexico - Unofficial Results". New Mexico Secretary of State. from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2022.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gabe Vasquez.

• Congressman Gabe Vasquez official U.S. House website
• Gabe Vasquez for Congress campaign website

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
• Profile at Vote Smart
• Appearances on C-SPAN

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Yvette Herrell	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 Derrick Van Orden	United States representatives by seniority 425th	Succeeded by Brandon Williams