Vasquez’s despicable vote comes back to haunt him in new ad blitz

A major center-right advocacy group is launching a six-figure ad campaign in New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District targeting Democrat U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez over his vote against legislation that included a ban on taxpayer funding for gender-transition procedures for minors.

American Action Network, or AAN, announced the new New Mexico buy as part of its broader $22 million summer issue advocacy campaign, which is aimed at drawing a contrast between House Republicans and Democrats on taxes, costs and federal spending priorities.

The New Mexico ad campaign begins August 20 and will run in NM-02, one of the most competitive congressional districts in the country. The district is currently represented by Vasquez, who is seeking reelection and is expected to face Republican Greg Cunningham, a former Marine and law enforcement officer, in the general election.

AAN’s new ad accuses Vasquez of voting to allow taxpayer funding for what the group describes as “sex changes and chemical castration for minors.” The group argues that Congress moved to block public funding for such procedures, but Vasquez voted against the ban.

“Gabe Vasquez wants to waste New Mexicans’ tax dollars, voting to allow taxpayer funding for chemical castration drugs for minors,” AAN spokeswoman Lydia Hall said in a statement provided to Piñon Post. “Gabe Vasquez should be ashamed of himself for subjecting minors to a chemical castration sex-change procedure that is banned in 16 countries.”

The ad is part of a national effort by AAN to put vulnerable Democrats on defense over hot-button cultural and spending issues while also promoting the Republican-backed tax package that President Donald Trump signed into law last year.

That package, which Republicans now call the Working Families Tax Cut, included several Trump-backed tax priorities, including tax relief related to tips and overtime pay, as well as relief for seniors. The IRS says the law created new deductions tied to tips, overtime compensation and other working-family provisions beginning in 2025.

Vasquez voted no on H.R. 1, known during the legislative fight as the One Big Beautiful Act. The bill passed the House on May 22, 2025, by a 215-214 vote, with all Democrats voting against it. The House Clerk’s official vote record lists Vasquez as a “Nay.”

AAN is now using that vote to tie Vasquez to what it calls “radical priorities,” arguing that Democrats voted against tax relief for working families while defending federal spending on controversial gender-related medical procedures for minors.

The campaign also includes Spanish-language messaging, a notable move in a southern New Mexico district where Hispanic voters are central to both parties’ strategies.

The New Mexico campaign follows Axios reporting that AAN’s $22 million ad campaign is running across 41 congressional districts, including NM-02. Axios reported that the ads are focused on GOP tax cuts and attacks on Democrats over gender-affirming care for minors.

AAN is a major outside advocacy organization on the right. The group describes itself as an independent nonprofit 501(c)(4) “action tank” that promotes center-right policies based on limited government, freedom, American exceptionalism and strong national security. Axios described AAN as a top outside group aligned with House Republican leaders and reported that the new buy brings AAN’s total investment this Congress to a record $62 million.

That kind of money signals how seriously national Republicans are taking Vasquez’s district.

NM-02 has been one of the most closely watched House seats in the country for several cycles. Vasquez narrowly defeated Republican Yvette Herrell in 2022, then won reelection in 2024. Republicans now see the seat as one of their best opportunities to flip a Democrat-held district in 2026.

The AAN ad is also a sign that Republicans plan to keep nationalizing the race around cultural issues, taxes and federal spending.

For Vasquez, the attack lands as he has tried to portray himself as a moderate focused on working families and affordability. But Republicans argue his voting record in Washington tells a different story — especially when it comes to H.R. 1, the same legislation that included major tax cuts he has since tried to distance himself from while promoting some similar policies.

AAN’s new campaign attempts to force Vasquez into another difficult position: explain why he voted against the Republican tax package while defending the broader Democratic opposition to provisions conservatives say protect children and taxpayers.

The ad buy also shows that the 2026 race in NM-02 is already heating up months before Election Day.

With national groups now pouring money into the district, Vasquez’s record on taxes, spending, border security, public safety and cultural issues will remain front and center.

And AAN is making clear that one of its opening attacks will be simple: Gabe Vasquez voted the wrong way when taxpayers and children were on the line.