U.S. House, New Mexico 2nd Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District?
Gabe Vasquez has the strongest record in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District. Gabe Vasquez scores 73 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Greg Cunningham at 58, as of October 6, 2026. Gabe Vasquez's highest marks are relevant experience and results. Greg Cunningham's highest marks are roots in the constituency and communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican
Greg Cunningham
On the ballot as Gregory G Cunningham
58 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Gabe Vasquez
On the ballot as Gabriel Vasquez
73 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 88
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Greg Cunningham
- On the record2026-09
Declined a Spanish-language Univision debate proposed by Vasquez, while agreeing to the Oct. 16 KRQE debate.
Source: Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 2026
- On the record2026
Differs from the president on data centers, saying they should not use irrigation water and that communities should decide whether to host them.
Source: Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 2026
- On the recordbefore 2026
Twice ran for a seat in the New Mexico Legislature before his congressional campaign.
Source: Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 2026
Gabe Vasquez
- On the record2026-09
Agreed to an Oct. 16 KRQE debate and challenged his opponent to a Spanish-language Univision debate, which Cunningham declined.
Source: Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 2026
- Credit2023 to 2024
Center for Effective Lawmaking rated him exceeds expectations in the 118th Congress.
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress
- Credit2023 to 2026
Missed 9 of 1,917 roll call votes, 0.5 percent, from January 2023 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, Gabe Vasquez
- Credit2023
Lugar Center's 2023 Bipartisan Index gave him a positive score, ranked 117th in the House.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Greg Cunningham. A 2026 candidate financial disclosure is on file with the House Clerk (filed May 15, 2026) and campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10077369, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Gabe Vasquez. His 2025 annual financial disclosure is on file with the House Clerk (filed Aug. 13, 2026, after an extension) and campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No periodic transaction reports appear in the Clerk index for 2023 to 2026, and no FEC administrative fine or ethics finding found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10077180, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Greg Cunningham. No public record found.
Gabe Vasquez. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Greg Cunningham. Agreed to an Oct. 16, 2026 KRQE debate and spoke at the Domenici Public Policy Conference; declined a Spanish-language Univision debate.
Source: Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 2026
Gabe Vasquez. Agreed to an Oct. 16, 2026 KRQE debate, challenged his opponent to a second debate in Spanish, and holds town halls, including telephone town halls.
Sources: Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 2026, Office site, March 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Greg Cunningham. Marine combat veteran and Albuquerque police officer and detective for about 20 years. No formal conduct finding found.
Source: Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 2026
Gabe Vasquez. Las Cruces city councilor from 2017 to 2021 and U.S. representative since 2023. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee report found.
Source: Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 2026
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Greg Cunningham. Served in the Marine Corps and as a sworn Albuquerque police officer. No official finding of misuse of office and no action to reject certified election results found.
Source: Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 2026
Gabe Vasquez. Took the oath as a Las Cruces city councilor and as a U.S. representative in January 2023, after the January 2021 elector votes. No official finding of misuse of office found.
Source: GovTrack, Gabe Vasquez
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Greg Cunningham. A 22-year law enforcement career, mostly as an Albuquerque police officer and undercover detective, after Marine Corps service; also a business owner. Has not held elected office.
Gabe Vasquez. U.S. representative since January 2023, in his second term, after four years on the Las Cruces City Council.
Sources: GovTrack, Gabe Vasquez, Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Greg Cunningham. Centers border security and law enforcement, supports targeted tariffs and says data centers should not use irrigation water and should supply their own power; positions stated in general terms.
Source: Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 2026
Gabe Vasquez. Serves on the House Agriculture and Armed Services committees and states specific positions, including bills to protect ratepayers from data center costs and to roll back data center tax breaks.
Sources: GovTrack, Gabe Vasquez, committees, Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Greg Cunningham. Answered the Albuquerque Journal questionnaire, gave the Journal an interview, spoke at the Domenici conference and agreed to a televised debate.
Sources: Albuquerque Journal Candidate Q&A, Albuquerque Journal, Oct. 2026
Gabe Vasquez. Answered the Albuquerque Journal questionnaire, holds telephone town halls, offers a constituent newsletter and agreed to a televised debate.
Sources: Albuquerque Journal Candidate Q&A, Office site, offices, Office site, March 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Greg Cunningham. A lifelong New Mexican who graduated from Menaul High School and lives in Albuquerque. About 58 percent of itemized individual contributions by state came from New Mexico (FEC by-state totals).
Sources: Campaign site, Albuquerque Journal Candidate Q&A, FEC contribution totals by state
Gabe Vasquez. Lives in Mesilla, graduated from New Mexico State University and served on the Las Cruces City Council. About 29 percent of itemized individual contributions by state in 2025 to 2026 came from New Mexico (FEC by-state totals).
Sources: Albuquerque Journal Candidate Q&A, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Greg Cunningham. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no administrative fine found; describes himself as a business owner.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Gabe Vasquez. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Greg Cunningham. No public record found.
Gabe Vasquez. Center for Effective Lawmaking rated him exceeds expectations in the 118th Congress (LES 2.0 of 0.82 against a benchmark of 0.52). GovTrack lists no bill he sponsored as enacted.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, Gabe Vasquez
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Greg Cunningham. No public record found.
Gabe Vasquez. Missed 9 of 1,917 roll call votes, 0.5 percent, from January 2023 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, Gabe Vasquez
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Greg Cunningham. No public record found.
Gabe Vasquez. Keeps district offices including Las Cruces and Albuquerque, offers casework and holds telephone town halls.
Sources: Office site, offices, Office site, March 2026
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Greg Cunningham. No public record found.
Gabe Vasquez. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 0.08406 for 2023, the latest posted House scores, ranked 117th, a positive score just outside the top quarter.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Greg Cunningham. No public record found.
Gabe Vasquez. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 6, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District?
Gabe Vasquez has the strongest record in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District. Gabe Vasquez scores 73 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Greg Cunningham at 58, as of October 6, 2026. Gabe Vasquez's highest marks are relevant experience and results. Greg Cunningham's highest marks are roots in the constituency and communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District in 2026?
Greg Cunningham (Republican), Gabe Vasquez (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Greg Cunningham a good candidate for Congress?
Greg Cunningham scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 65 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Gabe Vasquez a good candidate for Congress?
Gabe Vasquez scores 73 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 88 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every New Mexico race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the New Mexico 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.