Multiple outlets reporting NM Second Congressional District re-elects Gabe Vasquez

Editor’s note: The votes reported here are based on overall vote counts reported to the New Mexico Secretary of State and are considered unofficial. To see other unofficial election results visit https://electionresults.sos.nm.gov.

Gabe Vasquez is returning to Congress.

Multiple media outlets reported late Tuesday that Vasquez had defeated Alamogordo Republican Yvette Herrell.

Just after midnight, the Associated Press, Fox News and USA Today were among the outlets awarding the 2nd Congressional District race to Vasquez, who also defeated Herrell in 2022 by 1,350 votes.

“The difference for me in this race was how much more knowledgeable I am about the issues impacting our district,” Vasquez told the Sun-News. “I haven’t thought too much about what the former Congresswoman and her platform is all about. I thought about governing from Day 1 and governing until I’m here. Regardless of the results of the election, I want to be proud of the work I’ve done, but I feel that the work I have done has given voters confidence to send me back to Congress.”

Around 10:30 p.m. on Election Night, the Vasquez campaign ended its watch party at a downtown Las Cruces bar when the race was tied on the New Mexico Secretary of State website with Vasquez holding a 41 vote lead.

Over an hour later, Vasquez had secured 52% of the 260,262 votes in the race according to unofficial results on the New Mexico Secretary of State website. There were 192,673 total votes in the 2022 General Election.

Vasquez secured 57% of the 82,460 votes in Doña Ana County just after midnight on Wednesday.

The district encompasses southern New Mexico which, after redistricting, now represents a swath extending from the southwest up to part of Bernalillo County, including Albuquerque’s South Valley.

The race for New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District was identified a a potential swing district, even drawing U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson to stump for Herrell in Las Cruces during the summer, as well as a visit to Albuquerque last week by former President Donald Trump.

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also made a stop in Albuquerque in October.

The seat has flipped parties three times in the past six years. Herrell lost by two percentage points to Democrat Xochitl Torres Small in 2018, but won a rematch two years later, securing 54% of the 264,946 votes.

Herrell attacked Vasquez on immigration and the border, but also campaigned on the economy, an increased cost of living and crime.

Vasquez recently introduced a bipartisan Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act, which would provide increased funding, technology and staffing for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He has also introduced a package of immigration and border bills, which he announced in November 2023.

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