New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District is seeing a surge of attack advertising as the November election approaches. Both incumbent Democrat Gabe Vasquez and Republican challenger Greg Cunningham are the subjects of paid ads funded by two political action committees: CHC BOLD PAC and No Going Back PAC.
Content of the ads
An ad against Vasquez alleges he “pushed to give illegal immigrants convicted of crimes from drunk driving to assault to child sexual abuse a pathway to citizenship.” Target 7 found the claim misleading. The ad references House Resolution 1589, the American Dream and Promise Act, which Vasquez supported. The bill offers conditional permanent residency to certain long‑term undocumented residents but explicitly excludes convicted felons and anyone with three or more misdemeanor convictions within five years. While New Mexico treats all child sexual abuse offenses as felonies, the legislation allows officials to make public‑safety determinations for any applicant with a criminal record.
In a separate ad aimed at Cunningham, the claim “Cunningham said he would absolutely be an extremist if elected, and was hand‑picked by Trump to run for office” is partially true. A recorded interview with conservative podcaster Arik Kotkowski shows Cunningham confirming he would “absolutely” be an extremist if he ran. However, the assertion that Trump hand‑picked him is false; Trump’s endorsement arrived months after Cunningham officially launched his campaign.
Funding and spending
The two PACs have poured more than $1.2 million into the race. No Going Back PAC, which shares a treasurer with Trump’s MAGA Inc., has spent $274,000 on ads against Vasquez and $313,000 on mailers supporting Cunningham. CHC BOLD PAC, the primary fundraiser for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, has spent over $655,000 on ads targeting Cunningham.
Local significance
KOAT political analyst Brian Sanderoff warned that the district is pivotal: “If just three seats were to flip from Democrat to Republican, the entire control, balance of power, in Congress would change.” He also noted the district’s competitiveness, citing Vasquez’s narrow victories—by less than one percentage point in his first win and by four points in his re‑election.
Campaign responses
Vasquez’s campaign denounced the No Going Back PAC ad as a false narrative, emphasizing that the representative opposes any pathway to citizenship for individuals with violent criminal records. Spokesperson Patricia Socarras Santiago said, “Gabe supports commonsense pathways for folks who work hard, play by the rules, and adhere to the law.”
Cunningham’s team dismissed the attacks as desperation from Vasquez and his Democratic allies. A campaign spokesman said, “Greg answers to New Mexicans, not Washington, and that’s why Democrats are terrified of him.”
What voters should know
Both candidates have faced scrutiny over their positions on immigration and public safety. Voters in the 2nd District should consider the details of each ad, the funding sources behind them, and the candidates’ own statements when heading to the polls.
Original reporting: KOAT Albuquerque — read the source article.
