New ad torches Gabe Vasquez for voting against NM funds, then taking credit

EXCLUSIVE — The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is launching a new paid digital advertising campaign targeting far-left Democrat Gabe Vasquez, accusing him of voting against millions of dollars in federal funding for southern New Mexico communities—then attempting to take credit for the very projects he opposed.

According to the NRCC, the new ads focus on Vasquez’s vote against nearly $2 million in targeted community funding, including $1 million for improvements to the Town of Mesilla Town Hall and $850,000 for workforce training in Bayard. Despite voting “no,” Vasquez later publicly touted the funding as a win for his district.

“Gabe Vasquez voted against critical federal funds for New Mexico and then tried to take credit for wins he had nothing to do with,” said NRCC spokesman Reilly Richardson in a statement. “New Mexicans deserve honest representation who will fight for them, not a shameless political opportunist who will say and do anything to get elected.”

The digital ad campaign uses blunt language, accusing Vasquez of “gambling with New Mexicans’ lives” and highlighting his vote to block funding intended for job training and local infrastructure—priorities that are particularly critical in rural and border-region communities across New Mexico’s Second Congressional District.

The NRCC’s latest attack builds on a growing record of votes that Republicans say show Vasquez is out of step with his constituents. As previously reported by the Piñon Post in November during the prolonged Democrat federal government shutdown, Vasquez voted against legislation that ultimately delivered more than $32 million in funding to communities and military installations tied to NM-02.

That earlier vote came after a 42-day government shutdown that disrupted federal operations nationwide and left thousands of New Mexicans—including TSA agents, border personnel, and military families—working without pay. While a bipartisan agreement eventually ended the shutdown, Vasquez voted against the final package.

According to information shared exclusively with the Piñon Post, the legislation Vasquez opposed included funding for several major installations and projects, such as Cannon Air Force Base, Holloman Air Force Base, and Kirtland Air Force Base, as well as the Mesilla and Bayard projects now featured in the NRCC ad. In total, the bill included more than $32 million in investments benefiting southern New Mexico.

Political operatives note that Vasquez’s vote is especially vulnerable to attack because it included funding he had personally requested or discussed with local leaders. Delanie Bomar, a former New Mexico GOP staffer now working at the Republican National Committee, previously told the Piñon Post that Vasquez opposed $1.85 million for his own communities—including funds tied to meetings he held with Mesilla officials and the National Center for Frontier Communities.

National strategists say the message that Vasquez “went to Washington and forgot about New Mexicans” resonates strongly in NM-02, a district known for tight elections and limited patience for lawmakers perceived as prioritizing party ideology over local needs.

With the new digital ads, Republicans are signaling they intend to make Vasquez’s voting record a central issue heading into the next election cycle. In a district where military installations, workforce development, and small-town infrastructure are economic lifelines, opponents argue that voting against those investments—and then claiming credit afterward—could prove politically costly.

As the NRCC’s campaign rolls out online, Vasquez’s record during the shutdown and his opposition to local funding are likely to remain front and center in one of New Mexico’s most competitive congressional races.