Vasquez and Cunningham Clash on Health Care and the Border in NM-02's Only Televised Debate
Democratic Rep. Gabe Vasquez and Republican challenger Greg Cunningham met on the evening of Oct. 16 in the only televised debate of the cycle in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District, aired by KRQE and moderated by Dean Staley. The two clashed over border policy, immigration enforcement, Medicaid and food-assistance cuts.
Vasquez, seeking re-election for the first time since beating Republican incumbent Yvette Herrell by less than a percentage point in 2022, repeatedly promised to fight what he called the Trump administration's disastrous economic policies. Cunningham, a retired Marine and former Albuquerque police detective, countered by asking what Vasquez had done in his term to resist the president's agenda. On health care, Vasquez warned that new eligibility requirements could leave about 89,000 New Mexicans uninsured; Cunningham said requiring able-bodied adults to work or do community service was reasonable. The district is considered one of the most competitive House races in the country; Trump has endorsed Cunningham, and House Speaker Mike Johnson has visited New Mexico twice to campaign for him.
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Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：新墨西哥州议会大厦（资料图）。照片：Wikimedia Commons（CC BY 2.0）。The New Mexico State Capitol (file photo). Photo via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).
