GOP Spent $13 Million in Failed Push to Oust Rep. Gabe Vasquez

Republican donors poured $13 million into Greg Cunningham’s campaign for New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, a sum that failed to dislodge Democratic incumbent Gabe Vasquez.

Punchbowl News congressional reporter Ally Mutnick disclosed the figure in a video interview with outlet founder Jake Sherman. She noted that the heavy investment reflected the party’s belief that the district, which President Donald Trump won in 2024, was vulnerable. Mutnick said the group viewed the race as a potential upset among 13 other Democratic-held districts Trump carried.

Vasquez won the November election by 17 percentage points. Mutnick reported that Democratic opponents spent less than their counterparts to match the Republican effort. She recalled telling Democrats they did not believe the seat was in danger despite the high spending on the Republican side.

Vasquez shared the interview on X, stating he has spent four years building trust with voters across the political spectrum. He wrote that the seat cannot be bought regardless of the amount of MAGA money Republicans throw at him. His comment addressed the scale of the financial commitment made by the opposing party during the campaign cycle.

In the gubernatorial race, Republican nominee Gregg Hull lost to Democrat Deb Haaland on Tuesday. Hull sent an email to supporters on Thursday thanking door knockers and donors for their efforts. He expressed pride in the campaign’s message regarding safer communities, a stronger economy, and responsive state government. Hull said those ideas remain worth fighting for even after the election concludes.

Hull asked supporters to remove his campaign signs from public spaces. He advised volunteers to check with owners before taking signs from private property and to watch for traffic. He described leaving communities cleaner than they were found as the correct way to end the campaign.

Senator Jim Townsend, a Republican from Artesia, appeared on The New Mexican’s Around the Roundhouse podcast this week. He described President Trump as a delightful and caring person in one-on-one conversations. Townsend said the rhetoric seen on television did not match the personal interactions he has had with the president.

Townsend’s comments came as he discussed the Republican Party’s performance in the 2026 midterm elections. He serves as a national committeeman for the New Mexico Republican Party.