Vulnerable New Mexico Democrat Gabe Vasquez is under fire for a past Black Lives Matter post and comments calling to “deconstruct” systems, while trying to sell a new pro-police message that Republicans say is too little, too late. Critics point to resurfaced statements and a 2020 interview that appear at odds with an opinion piece praising law enforcement and touting federal funds he secured. The GOP has a ready candidate in former officer Greg Cunningham, and the back-and-forth is shaping up to be a central argument in a tight midterm fight for the district.
Vasquez has been described as a moderate and a bipartisan player, but his recent flip from sharp rhetoric to gratitude for officers is getting heavy pushback. He wrote that police officers “deserve thanks, support and funding.” That line came after opponents dug up social posts and a masked interview from 2020 that paint a different picture.
On June 1, 2020, amid national unrest, Vasquez posted: “Black lives matter. Until we deconstruct and rebuild the systems of oppression that keep black people in perpetual harm, justice will not be served.” He added, “that includes law enforcement, the economy, and the disgusting wealth inequality that keeps white rich men in power.” Those words now sit at the center of the hypocrisy charge.
Beyond the social post, a 2020 protest interview resurfaced in which a masked man resembling Vasquez used the name “James Hall” and said, “We need serious police reform in this country,” and “it’s not just about defunding police, it’s about defunding a system that privileges white people over everyone else.” Campaign aides later acknowledged his presence at the rally and explained the alias was to keep attention on organizers.
Fast forward to last week, and Vasquez opposed a House resolution that praised police service, condemned “defund the police” rhetoric, and credited past law-and-order policies with reducing violent crime. Democrats argued the measure was partisan, but Republicans saw an opening and hammered the point that words and votes matter when public safety is on the ballot.
A National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman put the case bluntly: “Defund the police Gabe Vasquez’s shameless hypocrisy isn’t fooling anyone.” That line is driving GOP messaging in the district as Republicans point to both past statements and the recent vote to claim Vasquez cannot be trusted on law enforcement.
Vasquez has pushed back with an opinion piece and a roll call of local investments, insisting he stands with officers. He wrote, “I will always stand with our law enforcement officers.” He also highlighted money he says he brought home, arguing those investments show he delivers for public safety.
The campaign doubled down with another clear line: “If you want to know where Vasquez stands on public safety, look at the receipts.” A statement from his team noted, “This year alone, Vasquez singlehandedly brought $1.8 million home for local police departments from Albuquerque to Carlsbad to pay for technology, station upgrades and facilities for more officers to keep themselves and New Mexicans safe,” framing the debate as about results rather than rhetoric.
Republican nominee Greg Cunningham, a Marine veteran and longtime New Mexico officer, argues voters remember the earlier rhetoric and want a proven public safety leader. He said Vasquez “wants New Mexicans to forget who he really is.” Cunningham leveled a blunt critique that mixes personal experience with political contrast to try to draw a stark line for voters.
Cunningham spelled out the difference in personal terms: “He spent years parroting the same anti-police rhetoric that gutted morale and hollowed out departments across this country. Now, six months out from an election, he writes a love letter to law enforcement and hopes nobody remembers the rest,” he said. “I remember. So do the officers I served alongside for years on the streets of Albuquerque. I know what it’s like to work a drug case at three in the morning. I know what these drugs are doing to New Mexico families, because I spent my career going after the people pushing them. And I know the difference between a politician who shows up for a Police Week photo op and a leader who has his officers’ backs the other 51 weeks of the year.”
He added that “when I get to Washington, the men and women wearing the badge in NM-02 will finally have something they have not had in this seat. One of their own.” That promise is designed to contrast on-the-ground law enforcement experience with Vasquez’s political record and rhetoric.
With control of the House hinging on tight margins, this district is emblematic of how public safety and political credibility collide. Voters will decide whether recent investments and pro-police words erase earlier calls to “deconstruct” systems, or whether those past statements define the candidate as out of step with the community’s priorities.
Graduate Student, wife, engaged political and legal writer.