--- title: "Vasquez vs. Cunningham: 2026 New Mexico’s 2nd District race" url: "https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-house-nm-02" updated: "2026-10-01" source: "Candidates' campaign sites and Ballotpedia, quoted verbatim" publisher: "Pluribus" --- # 2026 New Mexico’s 2nd District race: Gabriel Vasquez (D) vs. Greg Cunningham (R) Rating: Tilt D · Election: November 3, 2026 · Ballot checked: October 9, 2026 · Positions captured: October 1, 2026 In New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Gabriel Vasquez faces Republican challenger Greg Cunningham in a high-stakes 2026 battleground election. Donald Trump won this district in 2024 with 49.9% of the vote while Vasquez won re-election with 52.1%. The matchup hinges on border security, economic affordability, public safety, and public lands management. ## Candidates - **Gabriel Vasquez** (Democrat) · [Campaign site](https://gabeforcongress.com) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Gabriel_Vasquez) - **Greg Cunningham** (Republican) · [Campaign site](http://www.cunninghamfornm.com/) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Greg_Cunningham) ## Issues ### Immigration and border security Salience: high Vasquez supports comprehensive immigration reform with permanent legal status alongside border enforcement, whereas Cunningham pledges to stand with Donald Trump to close the border. **Gabriel Vasquez:** Supports comprehensive reform and border security Vasquez advocates for comprehensive immigration reform that pairs border security enforcement with earned pathways to citizenship for DREAMers and working families. He emphasizes reforming ICE to focus resources on deporting violent criminals and cartels rather than nonviolent workers. - Secured over $280 million in funding for border security initiatives. - Authored legislation imposing harsher penalties on human smugglers, fentanyl traffickers, and cartels. - Supports a permanent path to citizenship for DREAMers and undocumented working families. > “We must reform our immigration system to protect DREAMERS and provide hard-working families with a permanent path to citizenship, while ensuring we have a safe and secure border.” > — Gabriel Vasquez, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Gabriel_Vasquez) **Greg Cunningham:** Supports closing the border with Trump Cunningham prioritizes strict border enforcement and pledges to work directly with Donald Trump to close the southern border. - Pledges to stand with Donald Trump to shut down the southern border. - Includes 'Keep the Border Secure' as a top platform commitment. > “I'm gonna stand with President Trump in closing down the border, fighting the extreme left trying to defund the police and putting Americans and America first.” > — Greg Cunningham, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Greg_Cunningham) ### Economy and cost of living Salience: high Vasquez advocates for raising the minimum wage, passing the PRO Act, and repealing corporate tax cuts, while Cunningham centers his economic strategy on conservative growth principles. **Gabriel Vasquez:** Supports worker protections and tax fairness Vasquez advocates for lowering costs for working families by raising wages, supporting labor unions, and repealing former President Trump's tax cuts for high earners and major corporations. - Supports raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour. - Co-sponsors and supports passing the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. - Proposes repealing the Trump tax cuts for the top one percent and corporate investors. > “Gabe will work every day to help our workers and small businesses thrive and ensure that corporations are paying their fair share.” > — Gabriel Vasquez, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Gabriel_Vasquez) **Greg Cunningham:** Supports conservative economic growth Cunningham lists building a stronger economy as a key objective to ease financial pressures on New Mexico families. - Designates 'Build a Stronger Economy' as a primary issue on his platform. > “Guided by conservative values and his faith, Greg will work to deliver commonsense solutions shaped by New Mexicans, for New Mexicans.” > — Greg Cunningham, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Greg_Cunningham) ### Public safety and law enforcement Salience: high Vasquez highlights his votes to increase local police budgets and introduce anti-cartel bills, while Cunningham points to his 20-year law enforcement career targeting cartels and violent crime. **Gabriel Vasquez:** Supports police funding and reform Vasquez opposes defunding the police and promotes increasing law enforcement budgets alongside training and accountability standards. He highlights anti-cartel legislation and local funding increases. - Voted while on the Las Cruces City Council to raise the municipal police budget by $3.8 million. - Introduced legislation targeting cartels, fentanyl traffickers, and human smugglers. - Endorsed by local law enforcement figures including the sheriffs of Bernalillo and Doña Ana counties. > “Police reform, not police defunding, is the right way to move forward.” > — Gabriel Vasquez, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Gabriel_Vasquez) **Greg Cunningham:** Opposes defunding police and targets crime Cunningham emphasizes his 20-year police and undercover detective career in opposing efforts to defund law enforcement and targeting cartels, gangs, and violent crime. - Served 20 years with the Albuquerque Police Department and two years with the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office. - Pledges to combat left-wing efforts to defund police departments. - Includes 'Make New Mexico Safe' as a primary campaign focus. > “I'm gonna stand with President Trump in closing down the border, fighting the extreme left trying to defund the police and putting Americans and America first.” > — Greg Cunningham, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Greg_Cunningham) ### Public lands, energy, and environment Salience: medium Vasquez focuses on protecting public lands and advancing renewable energy, while Cunningham emphasizes developing domestic American energy. **Gabriel Vasquez:** Supports land conservation and clean energy Vasquez opposes selling off public lands, founded the Bipartisan Public Lands Caucus, and advocates for transitioning to renewable energy like wind and solar to combat climate change. - Authored bipartisan wildfire legislation signed into law by President Trump. - Founded the Bipartisan Public Lands Caucus to preserve hunting, fishing, and outdoor access. - Supports clean energy investments (wind and solar) and drought-adaptation strategies. > “Gabe has spent much of his career making sure New Mexicans have access to public lands and he’ll keep working to conserve our lands, water, and wildlife in Congress – and fight any efforts to sell off our public lands to the highest bidder.” > — Gabriel Vasquez, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Gabriel_Vasquez) **Greg Cunningham:** Supports domestic energy development Cunningham supports expanding domestic American energy production as a core component of his platform. - Lists 'Develop American Energy' as a central platform tile. > “Guided by conservative values and his faith, Greg will work to deliver commonsense solutions shaped by New Mexicans, for New Mexicans.” > — Greg Cunningham, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Greg_Cunningham) ### Veterans affairs Salience: low Vasquez offers specific legislative proposals to expand GI Bill benefits and defend the VA from privatization, while Cunningham emphasizes his personal service record as a Marine combat veteran. **Gabriel Vasquez:** Supports expanded GI benefits and VA care Vasquez supports expanding GI Bill benefits, improving healthcare access for rural veterans, and opposing the privatization of the Veterans Administration. - Introduced legislation expanding GI Bill benefits and lowering rural healthcare access barriers. - Opposes privatization of the Veterans Administration. > “We must also fight every day to end homelessness among veterans and oppose privatizing the Veterans Administration.” > — Gabriel Vasquez, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Gabriel_Vasquez) **Greg Cunningham:** Supports veterans through personal military service Cunningham emphasizes his personal background as a Marine Corps combat veteran as central to his commitment to service. - Highlights his military career as a United States Marine Corps combat veteran. > “From an early age, he felt the call to serve and answered it by joining the United States Marine Corps, where he distinguished himself as a combat veteran.” > — Greg Cunningham, via [Campaign site](http://www.cunninghamfornm.com/) ### Healthcare Salience: medium Vasquez details a platform including a public option, capping insulin at $35, and lowering the Medicare eligibility age, whereas Cunningham has no documented healthcare platform in the provided sources. **Gabriel Vasquez:** Supports public option and Medicare expansion Vasquez supports establishing a healthcare public option, lowering the Medicare eligibility age to 55, capping insulin prices, and empowering Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices. - Supports capping insulin costs at $35 per month. - Proposes lowering the Medicare eligibility age to 55 and adding dental and vision benefits. - Introduced the Patient Debt Relief Act to protect patients from wage garnishment and foreclosures due to medical debt. > “In Congress, Gabe will work to lower healthcare costs for New Mexicans by fighting for a public option, adding dental and vision benefits and lowering the eligibility age for Medicare to 55, and ensuring that Medicare can negotiate for lower prescription drug costs, because everyone should be able to afford life-saving care without going broke.” > — Gabriel Vasquez, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Gabriel_Vasquez) **Greg Cunningham:** No documented position in our sources ### Abortion and reproductive healthcare Salience: medium Vasquez explicitly opposes federal bans on abortion and birth control, whereas Cunningham has no documented position on reproductive healthcare in the provided campaign sources. **Gabriel Vasquez:** Supports federal abortion rights protections Vasquez opposes federal restrictions on abortion and birth control and pledges to defend women's reproductive rights in Congress. - Opposes federal bans on abortion and contraception. - Pledges to protect women's right to choose reproductive healthcare. > “Gabe will oppose any attempt by Republicans in Congress to ban access to abortion, birth control, or to prevent women from having the right to choose.” > — Gabriel Vasquez, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Gabriel_Vasquez) **Greg Cunningham:** No documented position in our sources ### Government ethics and election administration Salience: low Vasquez supports banning stock trading for lawmakers and protecting voting access, while Cunningham has no documented position on government ethics or election administration in the sources. **Gabriel Vasquez:** Supports banning congressional stock trading Vasquez pushes for ethics reform, including banning members of Congress from trading individual stocks, and supports protecting voting rights against partisan interference. - Leads bipartisan legislation to ban members of Congress from trading stocks. - Opposes efforts to restrict voting access or overturn certified election results. - Voted Nay on the SAVE Act. > “We must crack down on insider trading and the kind of self-dealing contracts that we’ve seen erode trust in our elected officials and government.” > — Gabriel Vasquez, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Gabriel_Vasquez) **Greg Cunningham:** No documented position in our sources ## Polls and markets _Updated Oct 31._ - [Polymarket](https://polymarket.com/event/nm-02-house-election-winner) — NM-02 House Election Winner: Democrats 92.4%, Republicans 7.5% - [Kalshi](https://kalshi.com/events/HOUSENM2-26) — NM-02 House winner?: Gabriel Vasquez 92.4%, Greg Cunningham 8.4% [View this race on 2026election.com](https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-house-nm-02)