Editor’s note: As part of its coverage of the 2024 political campaign, the ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ will profile candidates running in some of New Mexico’s more hotly contested races in November’s general election. We continue today with a profile of Rep. Gabe Vasquez, the Democrat running for reelection in congressional District 2. Look to next Sunday’s Journal for our story on Republican Yvette Herrell.
In the late June heat, Gabe Vasquez started his speech at an abortion rights rally in Albuquerque’s Old Town in Spanish, then switched to English — something the young Democratic congressman does at most appearances.
kAm%96 C2==J @? yF?6 ac 4@>>6>@C2E65 E96 52J EH@ J62CD AC:@C E92E #@6 G] (256 H2D @G6CEFC?65 3J E96 $FAC6>6 r@FCE[ 2==@H:?8 DE2E6D E@ =2C86=J D6E E96:C @H? 23@CE:@? =2HD]k^Am
kAm%96 bh\J62C\@=5 7:CDE\E6C> 4@?8C6DD>2? :D CF??:?8 7@C C66=64E:@? :? E96 >@DE 4@>A6E:E:G6 4@?8C6DD:@?2= C246 :? E96 DE2E6] p C6>2E49 =@@>D H:E9 7@C>6C w@FD6 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6[ #6AF3=:42? *G6EE6 w6CC6==[ 2?5 '2DBF6K 92D >256 23@CE:@? 2446DD 2?5 4C:E:4:D>D @7 w6CC6== 46?EC2= E@ 9:D C66=64E:@? 42>A2:8?]k^Am
kAm“%@ AFE :E 3=F?E=J[ x 76=E E92E H96? x 7:CDE C2?[ *G6EE6 w2CC6== ?6G6C D9@H65 FA 7@C >6 2D @?6 @7 96C 4@?DE:EF6?ED] ]]] }@H E92E x 92G6 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ D6CG6 :? r@?8C6DD[ x 766= E92E AC:@C:EJ E@ D9@H FA[ E@ =:DE6? 2?5 E@ C6AC6D6?E >J 4@?DE:EF6?ED :? r@?8C6DD[†'2DBF6K D2:5]k^Am
kAm'2DBF6K H2D 2 {2D rCF46D 4:EJ 4@F?4:=@C 367@C6 96 56762E65 w6CC6== 7@C E96 a?5 r@?8C6DD:@?2= s:DEC:4E D62E :? a_aa] '2DBF6K E@@< d_]baT @7 E96 G@E6 E@ w6CC6==’D ch]egT]k^Am
kAm%96 4@?8C6DD:@?2= 5:DEC:4E’D 3@F?52CJ =:?6D H6C6 2=E6C65 :? 2 @?46\A6C\564256 C65:DEC:4E:?8 AC:@C E@ E96 6=64E:@?[ 3C:?8:?8 A2CED @7 p=3FBF6CBF6 :?E@ E96 5:DEC:4E 2?5 >@G:?8 #@DH6== 2?5 A2CE @7 w@33D :?E@ @E96C 5:DEC:4ED]k^Am
kAm}6H |6I:4@ #6AF3=:42?D 492==6?865 E96 C65:DEC:4E:?8[ 2C8F:?8 E92E :E F?56C>:?65 #6AF3=:42? G@E:?8 DEC6?8E9[ 3FE :? a_ab 2 5:DEC:4E ;F586 56?:65 E92E 492==6?86[ 7:?5:?8 E92E E96 G@E6 5:=FE:@? H2D ?@E “68C68:@FD†86CCJ>2?56C:?8] %96 564:D:@? H2D FA96=5 3J E96 }6H |6I:4@ $FAC6>6 r@FCE]k^Am
kAm'2DBF6K’D 7:CDE 42>A2:8? 25G6CE:D6>6?E @7 a_ac 7@4FD6D 5:C64E=J @? w6CC6==[ A=2J:?8 G:56@ @7 96C D2J:?8 D96 H:D96D “H6 4@F=5 92G6 8@EE6? C:5 @7 2== 23@CE:@?[†2?5 AC@>:D:?8 E92E 96 H:== <66A 23@CE:@? 2446DD:3=6]k^Am
kAm“x7 #6AF3=:42?D 92G6 E96 w@FD6 >2;@C:EJ[ E96J 92G6 E96 $6?2E6 >2;@C:EJ[ 2?5 :7 H6 92G6 2 #6AF3=:42? AC6D:56?E[ H6 42? 6IA64E >@C6 =2HD E92E H:== C6DEC:4E[ :7 ?@E 4@>A=6E6=J 6=:>:?2E6[ 2 H@>2?’D 23:=:EJ E@ 49@@D6[†'2DBF6K D2:5]k^Am
kAm'2DBF6K :D r2E9@=:4[ 2?5 9:D A2C6?ED 5:5 ?@E D92C6 2 F?:7:65 A6CDA64E:G6 @? 23@CE:@?[ D@ '2DBF6K D2:5 96 H2D E2F89E E92E A6@A=6 ?665 E96 23:=:EJ E@ >2<6 A6CD@?2= 564:D:@?D @? E96 E@A:4]k^Am
kAm'2DBF6K D2:5 E92E 9:D 72:E9 92D 2=D@ A=2J65 2 C@=6 :? 9:D 2AAC@249 E@ =68:D=2E:?8]k^Am
kAm“x 8C6H FA H:E9 >J 525 DE@AA:?8 2E E96 D:56 @7 E96 C@25 E@ 96=A 2=>@DE 6G6CJ DEC2?565 >@E@C:DE[ 6G6? H96? H6 925 E@ 36 D@>6A=246 :? E:>6[ :?4=F5:?8 8@:?8 E@ 49FC49 :? E96 >@C?:?8[ 2?5 x 2=H2JD H@?56C65 H9J >J 525 5:5 E92E[ 3FE :E H2D 3642FD6 :E H2D A2CE @7 9:D 72:E9[†'2DBF6K D2:5]k^Am
kAm“xE H2D 3642FD6 :7 96 925 E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 96=A D@>63@5J E92E H2D :? ?665[ 96 H@F=5 5@ :E] p?5 :E H2D 2 42==:?8 7C@> v@5 7@C 9:>] $@[ >J 2AAC@249 E@ r@?8C6DD :D G6CJ D:>:=2C E@ DE@AA:?8 @? E96 D:56 @7 E96 C@25 2?5 96=A:?8 E92E DEC2?565 >@E@C:DE]â€k^Am
kAm'2DBF6K 925 36EH66? Sc[___ 2?5 Se_[___ :? 2DD6ED[ 2D H6== 2D 2 >@CE8286 @? 9:D {2D rCF46D 9@>6 :? E96 C2?86 @7 Sad_[___ E@ Sd__[___[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 9:D a_ab 7:?2?4:2= 5:D4=@DFC6 C6A@CE[ H9:49 4@G6C65 9:D 7:?2?46D 7C@> y2?F2CJ a_a` E9C@F89 E96 6?5 @7 a_aa] %96 }2E:@?2= (:=5=:76 u656C2E:@? A2:5 9:> 2 Seg[b`_ D2=2CJ :? E92E E:>6 7C2>6[ H9:=6 }F6DEC2 %:6CC2 r@?D6CG2E:@? !C@;64E A2:5 9:> 2? Sg[d__ 4@?DF=E:?8 766]k^Am
kAmx7 C66=64E65[ '2DBF6K H2?ED E@ 4@?E:?F6 H@C<:?8 @? 6IA2?5:?8 E96 #25:2E:@? tIA@DFC6 2?5 r@>A6?D2E:@? p4E E@ :?4=F56 }6H |6I:4@ 5@H?H:?56CD[ =68:D=2E:@? E@ >2<6 :E 62D:6C 7@C G6E6C2?D E@ 2446DD 962=E9 42C6 2?5 H2E6C D6EE=6>6?ED C:89ED 7@C EC:36D :? 9:D 5:DEC:4E]k^Am
kAm“x E2<6 >J ;@3 D6C:@FD=J H96? :E 4@>6D E@ 9@?@C:?8 E92E D@G6C6:8? C6=2E:@?D9:A E92E H6 92G6 H:E9 EC:32= 4@>>F?:E:6D :? E96 5:DEC:4E[†'2DBF6K D2:5]k^Am
kAmsFC:?8 9:D D9@CE E:>6 :? r@?8C6DD[ '2DBF6K 92D 6>A92D:K65 3:A2CE:D2?D9:A[ 7@C>:?8 E96 $@FE9H6DE r2F4FD H:E9 pC:K@?2 #6A] yF2? r:D4@>2?:[ 2 #6AF3=:42? — A6C92AD 3642FD6 96 ?665D E@ H:? @G6C 4@?D6CG2E:G6 2?5 46?EC:DE G@E6CD :? s:DEC:4E a] '2DBF6K H2D 2=D@ E96 @?=J >6>36C @7 }6H |6I:4@’D 4@?8C6DD:@?2= 56=682E:@? H9@ H2D 23D6?E 5FC:?8 !C6D:56?E y@6 q:56?’D a_ab G:D:E E@ E96 {2?5 @7 t?492?E>6?E] w:D @77:46 D2:5 96 925 AC:@C 4@>>:E>6?ED E@ D66 9:D 72E96C[ 244@C5:?8 E@ AC6G:@FD 4@G6C286] k^Am
kAm'2DBF6K :?EC@5F465 3:A2CE:D2? =68:D=2E:@? H:E9 #6AF3=:42?D y@9? rFCE:D @7 &E29 2?5 y@9? sF2CE6 @7 r2=:7@C?:2 E92E H@F=5 6=:>:?2E6 3FC62F4C2E:4 9FC5=6D 7@C A6@A=6 H:E9 =62D6D E@ C2?49 @? AF3=:4 =2?5D E@ >2<6 >:?@C C2?86 :>AC@G6>6?ED — E96 #2?49:?8 (:E9@FE #65 %2A6 p4E] p 4@>A2?:@? 3:== 92D 366? :?EC@5F465 :? E96 $6?2E6]k^Am
kAmw6 :D AFD9:?8 2 A24<286 @7 :>>:8C2E:@? 2?5 3@C56C D64FC:EJ =68:D=2E:@? E92E H@F=5 5@ 6G6CJE9:?8 7C@> :?EC@5F46 ?6H D4C66?:?8 E649?@=@8J 2E A@CED @7 6?ECJ E@ 2==@H:?8 :>>:8C2?ED 2? 62DJ A2E9 E@ =682==J 364@>6 28C:4F=EFC2= H@C<6CD E@ :?4C62D:?8 A6?2=E:6D 7@C 9F>2? EC277:4<:?8]k^Am
kAm“&?5@4F>6?E65 H@C<6CD :? E96 D@FE962DE W@7 }6H |6I:4@X H@C<:?8 :? @:= 2?5 82D 2?5 7@DD:= 7F6=D 2C6 @?6 @7 E96 36DE <6AE D64C6ED @7 E96 @:= 2?5 82D :?5FDECJ] ]]] %96D6 2C6 7@=<D E92E 2C6 5C:G:?8 ECF4<D[ E92E 2C6 H6=56CD[ E92E 2C6 A:A67:EE6CD[ E92E 2C6 42CA6?E6CD[ E92E 2C6 9@?6DE=J D@>6E:>6D AFEE:?8 E96:C =:G6D @? E96 =:?6 2?5 E96 =:G6D @7 E96:C 72>:=:6D @? E96 =:?6 E@ AC@5F46 6?6C8J 7@C E96 4@F?ECJ 2?5 E@ AC@5F46 6?6C8J :?56A6?56?46[†'2DBF6K D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 4@?8C6DD>2? 96=5 2 C646?E E@H? 92== :? w@33D E@ E2=< 23@FE H2JD E92E E9@D6 F?5@4F>6?E65 H@C<6CD 4@F=5 86E @AA@CEF?:E:6D 7@C E6>A@C2CJ C6D:56?4J @C 2 A2E9H2J E@ 4:E:K6?D9:A]k^Am
kAm'2DBF6K :D 2 7:CDE\86?6C2E:@? p>6C:42? H:E9 2 3:?2E:@?2= 72>:=J] p3@FE 92=7 @7 9:D 72>:=J DE:== =:G6D :? |6I:4@[ 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm“%96 3:==D E92E x 92G6 :?EC@5F465 2C6 :?7@C>65 3J >J 6IA6C:6?46[ ?@E @?=J =:G:?8 @? 3@E9 D:56D @7 E96 3@C56C[ 3FE H@C<:?8 :?E:>2E6=J H:E9 =2H 6?7@C46>6?E[ 3@C56C A2EC@=[ DE2E6 A@=:46[ =@42= D96C:77D 2?5 =@42= A@=:46 56A2CE>6?ED[†96 D2:5]k^Am