House Speaker Mike Johnson is headed to New Mexico on Tuesday to campaign with Greg Cunningham, the Republican candidate looking to oust Democratic Congressman Gabe Vasquez in the sprawling Second Congressional District covering Southern New Mexico and Albuquerque’s Westside.
This story was originally published at New Mexico Political Report, a nonprofit news service covering politics and policy in the Land of Enchantment. Learn more and support our work at nmreports.org
A preview of the event shared with New Mexico Political Report detailed that Cunningham, a former Albuquerque police officer, and Johnson will appear with law enforcement members “to discuss public safety, border security, and the cost of crime on New Mexico families and small businesses.”
Vasquez’s campaign Spokesperson Patricia Socarras Santiago told NM Political Report Johnson’s visit shows that Cunningham would be a vote for President Donald Trump’s priorities in Congress. “Greg Cunningham is once again bending the knee to MAGA extremists, and this week they’re coming to Albuquerque in droves to buy his loyalty. He already accepted $403,000 from Trump loyalists; he’s endorsed by Speaker Johnson and Yvette Herrell; and he has said himself his number one priority is doing Trump’s bidding. Greg Cunningham is showing us his priorities — supporting MAGA’s tariffs, ICE raids, and healthcare cuts– not New Mexico.”
New Mexico’s Second Congressional District has been a battleground district for several cycles. National Democrats have priortized holding this seat as a part of their plan to take control of the U.S. House in 2027.