New Mexico Democratic Rep. Gabriel Vasquez projected to beat Trump-backed GOP challenger

New Mexico Democratic Rep. Gabriel Vasquez is projected to decision Republican challenger Yvette Herrell, holding connected to his spot for a 2nd term. 

Vasquez and Herrell antecedently squared disconnected successful the 2022 predetermination cycle, when Vasquez won by little than 1%.

Vasquez has represented New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses Las Cruces and a confederate information of Albuquerque, since 2023. The contention was considered a toss-up, with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) identifying the territory arsenic susceptible for decision against Republican challengers this predetermination cycle. 

Vasquez touted expanding the economy, protecting termination access, combating clime alteration and passing "comprehensive" migration laws arsenic his run platforms. 

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Democratic Rep. Gabe Vasquez and Republican challenger Yvette Herrell (Reuters | Getty )

The congressman came nether occurrence from conservatives successful the lead-up to the election, including for his erstwhile comments supporting defunding the police. 

Vasquez appeared connected a section quality station seemingly dressed successful disguise during the 2020 George Floyd unrest and said, "It's not conscionable astir defunding police, it's astir defunding a strategy that privileges White radical implicit everyone else."

Vasquez antecedently vowed helium would "fully support" cutting successful fractional the constabulary fund of Las Cruces, wherever helium served connected the metropolis council, Fox News Digital antecedently reported.

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Rep. Gabe Vasquez speaks during a quality league successful Albuquerque, New Mexico, connected Oct. 3, 2024. (Anna Padilla/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"I wholeheartedly and perfectly enactment constabulary betterment and the #blacklivesmatter movement, and volition not beryllium stopping abbreviated of transformational betterment that brings justness to our metropolis and to radical of colour successful our community. You tin number connected my support," Vasquez wrote to a constituent demanding "at least" a 50% simplification of the Las Cruces constabulary section budget.

He has since said helium opposes defunding the police. 

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Vasquez served connected the Las Cruces City Council from 2017 to 2021 earlier launching his vocation successful the U.S. House. 

Reps. James Comer and Yvette Herrell circuit the borderline partition connected the Johnson Ranch adjacent Columbus, New Mexico, connected April 12, 2021. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Herrell campaigned connected a level of securing the border, bucking the "political people successful Washington" that has "forgotten astir the hardworking, middle-class of America," gathering the system and "putting New Mexico first."

Former President Trump endorsed Herrell earlier this year, erstwhile she won the Republican primary. 

"A palmy entrepreneur, Yvette knows however to Expand our Economy, Fight Inflation, and Create High-Paying Jobs," Trump wrote. "She volition enactment hard to Lower Gas Prices, Support our Vets, Strengthen our Military, Secure our Border, and Defend the Second Amendment."

Herrell served successful New Mexico House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019, and successful Congress from 2021 to 2023.

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Fox News Digital's Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.