Fishy behavior: Vasquez’s steakhouse splurges expose his everyman lie

A new report from the Washington Free Beacon reveals that Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), who recently portrayed himself as an everyman who prefers “catching blue catfish” in the Anacostia River over eating out, has actually spent over $7,000 in campaign funds at high-end restaurants across the country, taking after his ally, Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who is well-known for her lavish lifestyle on the taxpayers’ and campaign donors’ dimes.

The report notes Vasquez’s spending spanned locations including Washington, D.C., New York City, Santa Monica, and even Jackson Hole—far from his working-class southern New Mexico district. While decrying “fancy dinners” in a July video, Vasquez was holding a catfish and claiming, “A lot of people like to eat fancy dinners, expensive dinners. I like to come out here and fish on the Anacostia River or the Potomac and catch some nice, little blue catfish.”

But campaign finance records tell a different story.

According to the Free Beacon, the freshman Democrat dropped $1,300 at Rio Chama Prime, a steakhouse in Santa Fe known for luxury items like a $63 ribeye and $61 elk loin. Just two days prior, he spent another $555 at M’tucci’s Bar Roma in Albuquerque.

His taste for expensive meals isn’t confined to New Mexico. In June 2024, Vasquez reportedly spent nearly $300 at The Duck and the Peach in D.C., a restaurant known for a $98 duck entrée and $140 porterhouse steak. He also spent more than $400 at another high-end D.C. spot, Sonoma, where charcuterie boards run up to $130.

Out-of-district meals were also covered by campaign funds. In Santa Monica, nearly 800 miles from his district, Vasquez spent over $200 at Shirube, a sushi restaurant offering $300 bottles of sake. During a trip to Jackson Hole—about 1,100 miles away—he racked up nearly $500 at two restaurants. And in June, he spent $220 at La Pecora Bianca, a chic Italian restaurant in Midtown Manhattan.

These revelations stand in stark contrast to his self-styled image as a budget-conscious public servant. Vasquez, who once said focusing on local concerns is “at the core of what Democrats need to get back to doing,” is one of the most vulnerable Democrats facing re-election in 2026. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has labeled his seat a priority, placing him on its Frontline program to defend endangered incumbents.

Beyond campaign spending, Vasquez is no stranger to controversy. The Free Beacon previously uncovered a string of past legal troubles, including a 2002 arrest warrant in Texas for failure to appear in court after being charged with driving without a license or insurance. In 2004, Vasquez was reported to have used a racial slur toward a Black coworker after being fired from a job at a call center while attending New Mexico State University. The following year, he was caught flushing marijuana down a toilet during a police encounter, and in 2006, police responded to his home in reference to a “possible domestic” incident with a girlfriend.

Vasquez has not publicly commented on the revelations.