LAS CRUCES, NM– Today, NM-02 Congressman and Democratic nominee Gabe Vasquez stood with Doña Ana County Commissioner Manuel Sanchez, and Mesilla resident and local laborer Guillermo Acosta as skyrocketing gas prices caused by the Iran War have impacted families and businesses across New Mexico’s second congressional district.
“New Mexicans are paying for an endless war with higher prices at the pump, healthcare cuts, and the lives of American soldiers. This has to stop,” said NM-02 Congressman and Democratic nominee Gabe Vasquez. “Politicians in Washington are making reckless decisions that are hurting families, businesses, and ranchers in my district. Today, I am standing with New Mexicans, demanding that gas prices be brought down; our troops brought home; and that the American people are given the transparency and accountability they deserve.”
New Mexicans are at the frontlines of the rise in gas prices, driving long distances–30, 40, 50 miles– to get to work, school, or to pick up groceries. The national average price of gas is above four dollars for the first time since 2022.
“Doña Ana is a major port of entry which means this is squeezing every part of our economy- from the businesses that are paying more for materials and seeing fewer patrons, to the families paying more at the grocery store, to the workers paying over $100 to fill up their truck to get to work,” said Doña Ana County Commissioner Manuel Sanchez. “This has to stop; the DC politicians don’t care about how this is hurting families. I am standing with Gabe today because he has demanded answers for us and understands what we go through.”
Mesilla resident and local laborer Guillermo Acosta added, “I am just like everyone else here today. I work hard, and I want to take care of myself and my family. Over the past year, the price of everything has gone up because of the policies made on a whim. Food, fuel, clothes, health care– everything costs more now, and prices will likely get worse because of the decisions they’ve made. I see very few politicians in Washington who care one bit about the impact they have on the lives of the majority of American citizens.”
Congressman Gabe Vasquez is the only Democrat to have won New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District twice consecutively. In 2022, he beat incumbent Yvette Herrell by the tightest margin in the country (0.7%). Last cycle, Congressman Vasquez again defeated Yvette Herrell, this time by 4%— the same year that Donald Trump won the district by 2% — making him one of just 14 Democrats to win a district that went for Trump in 2024. Congressman Vasquez has continued to win over Democrat, Republican and Independent voters because he is willing to work with anyone to deliver results for New Mexicans on the issues they care most about: lowering the cost of living, expanding access to health care, protecting our public lands, and fixing our broken immigration system. In November, he will set another historic record by winning New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District for a third consecutive cycle.
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