Far-left Democrat Congressman Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico once again proved he cannot be trusted to take a stand for his constituents, casting a cowardly “present” vote on the Republican continuing resolution to keep the federal government open. By refusing to vote yes or no, Vasquez avoided accountability while effectively siding with his party’s radical base, leaving Border Patrol agents, military personnel, and veterans’ care hanging in the balance.
The continuing resolution would have ensured government funding through November, guaranteeing paychecks for those serving on the frontlines of the border crisis. With cartels flooding New Mexico’s southern border with drugs and human trafficking, Border Patrol agents risk their lives every day to protect American communities. A real representative of southern New Mexico would stand firmly for them. Instead, Vasquez ducked the issue entirely, choosing political games over duty. His “present” vote was no better than voting against funding, because it refused to support keeping the government open and protecting critical pay and services.
In his carefully worded press release, Vasquez tried to distract from his non-vote by claiming the Republican bill would “skyrocket health care costs, force rural hospitals to close, and take health care away from New Mexicans.” But these scare tactics have little to do with the actual vote. The bill was about keeping the lights on in government and ensuring Border Patrol, the military, and veterans received the pay and services they’ve earned. Instead of standing up for New Mexico’s frontline communities, Vasquez punted.
The National Republican Congressional Committee blasted Vasquez’s maneuver, saying he put politics before New Mexicans in a cynical attempt to appease the radical fringe of his party. “Out of touch Democrat Gabe Vasquez voted to risk veterans’ care, military pay, and public safety just to appease his radical base,” said NRCC spokesman Reilly Richardson. In New Mexico’s Second District, where border security is not an abstraction but a daily crisis, this abdication of responsibility is especially glaring.
Worse still, Vasquez’s Democrat colleagues Melanie Stansbury and Teresa Leger Fernández didn’t even show up to vote. Their absence, paired with Vasquez’s “present” cop-out, meant New Mexico’s entire Democratic delegation failed to back a bill to keep the government open. Rather than taking a stand, they either hid from the issue or actively avoided being counted.
Vasquez later claimed he was “eager to work with Republicans on a budget that addresses the real needs of Americans,” but his refusal to cast a real vote shows otherwise. Casting “present” is the classic Washington trick: signaling disapproval without the courage to vote no, while avoiding the responsibility of voting yes. It is a tactic designed to confuse voters back home, but the truth is simple — when the time came to ensure Border Patrol agents and service members got their paychecks, Vasquez stood aside.
New Mexicans deserve better than evasions and partisan theater. They deserve a representative who will take a stand when it matters most. Gabe Vasquez chose to sit on the fence, and by doing so, he failed the people of New Mexico.