Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D., N.M.) is under fire from his Republican opponent for potentially ducking multiple debates in the home stretch of their race for Congress.
Greg Cunningham, a Marine and former law enforcement officer, is accusing Vasquez of hiding from voters, arguing that it is a trend that Vasquez has demonstrated over multiple election cycles.
Vasquez “dodged the voters in 2024, and he’s running the same play in 2026,” Cunningham argued, noting that Vasquez declined to participate in a televised debate against his Republican opponent, former Rep. Yvette Herrell (R., N.M.). “Kicking the can down the road until the calendar runs out isn’t a scheduling problem,” Cunningham continued. “It’s a strategy that demonstrates weakness.”
While Vasquez has, to Cunningham’s knowledge, not accepted debates from KOB4 or from KOAT7; Cunningham, by contrast, has accepted all three requests, from those two outlets as well as from KRQE. Cunningham explained that “voters in this district deserve to hear from Gabe and myself, on the same stage, on the same night.” Vasquez has, thus far, accepted the debate invitation from KRQE.
President Donald Trump carried New Mexico’s 2nd District, and Republicans have been criticizing the incumbent for his long time anti-law enforcement record; Cunningham, for his part, as a longtime law enforcement veteran, has been making that part of his biography a key part of his campaign.
“Show up,” Cunningham challenged Vasquez. “New Mexico is watching.”
