As Cunningham refuses Spanish-language debate and loses ground among Latino voters, Latino leaders from NM-02 gathered at the South Valley Economic Development Center this morning to show their support for Gabe
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Today, Latino community leaders and neighbors from New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District came together in Albuquerque for “Estamos con Gabe,” convening at the South Valley Economic Development Center to show their support for Gabe Vasquez and rally behind his fight for working families in the South Valley, West Side, and across southern New Mexico.
Local community leaders gathered in support of Gabe on Sept. 25
(Courtesy Photo)
The leaders in attendance, who are at the forefront of New Mexico’s civic, religious, business, Downwinder, nonprofit, and veteran communities, also spoke with Gabe about the issues they see at the forefront of Latino voters’ minds as the race heads into its final sprint. Top of mind for many were cost of living concerns and the Administration’s mass deportation campaign.
The rally marks exactly two weeks since Gabe’s opponent, Greg Cunningham, refused to accept Gabe’s challenge to a Spanish language debate on Univision. Gabe has pushed for a second debate with Univision so all voters can hear directly from each candidate about their platforms — including those who call southern New Mexico home and those who prefer to tune into a debate in Spanish.
The rally also comes as Latino voters are turning sharply against President Trump. Nationally, 63 percent of Latino voters disapprove of Trump, his approval with Latinos on the cost of living has collapsed to net -52, and a third of Latinos who voted for him in 2024 now say they are disappointed or regret their vote, according to Equis Research. Here at home, just 39 percent of likely voters in NM-02 view Trump favorably — and Gabe leads among Latino voters by 20 points, according to a KOB 4/SurveyUSA poll.
Gabe and his platform resonate with Latino voters for a simple reason: he is one of them. His story is the story of this district. The first in his family to be born in the United States, Gabe grew up in New Mexico’s borderlands.
In Congress, he has fought for the families he grew up alongside. He led a plan pairing border security with legal pathways for long-time residents and families of U.S. citizens. He pressed the administration to fix delays threatening more than 4,000 New Mexico DACA recipients with job loss and deportation. He opposed the 2025 Republican tax law that has since cost 21,000 New Mexicans their SNAP benefits, including more than 10,000 children.
“I learned everything that matters from watching my mom work, day in and day out, to give us a better life,” said Gabe. “When I fight to lower costs, protect families’ healthcare, and keep families together, I’m fighting for people like my mom. Esta lucha es por nuestras familias, y juntos vamos a ganar.”
In 2024, Gabe delivered $850,000 in Community Project Funding to the South Valley Economic Development Center, where the event was held today, to help address food insecurity and promote job growth in the local community.
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