House Speaker Kevin McCarthy stumps for Yvette Herrell as she again seeks NM's 2nd Congressional District

LAS CRUCES, N.M. ― Yvette Herrell, an Alamogordo Republican and mainstay contender for New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District announced she was again running for congressional office during a rally in Las Cruces on April 10. Herrell, who lost the seat twice and won it once, kicked off her fourth run for New Mexico's southernmost congressional district.

"We've got to get God back in the conversation," Herrell said during her speech just before declaring her intentions to run again.

The U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R - California) joined Herrell in announcing the run. And, despite the fact that Monday was Herrell's big day, much of the rally featured McCarthy declaring promises he's made as Speaker have been kept and decrying an America beset by social ills.

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McCarthy stumps for Herrell

After a historically contentious process, the House of Representatives elected McCarthy as Speaker of the House in January. McCarthy previously served as the House Minority Leader. He represents California's 20th District, in a party that holds the House majority with five seats.

McCarthy, who aligned himself with former President Donald Trump, voted against the certification of the 2020 presidential election. Herrell also voted against certifying that election after the Jan. 6 insurrection disrupted the normally mundane process.

Since becoming Speaker, McCarthy has made his stance clear on a number of issues relevant to New Mexico: He called for the resignation of Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security amid an "immigration crisis" and said the Republican party's work was not done in creating conservative approaches to reproductive rights. More recently McCarthy voiced opposition to raising the nation's debt ceiling - a move that would allow the nation to borrow money and repay debt - as the deadline for a Republican budget loomed.

McCarthy isn't the first Republican Party star to stand next to Herrell for a campaign event in Las Cruces. In 2022 Ted Cruz made Las Cruces a stop in his national stumping campaign for Republican candidates.

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Herrell's last bid resulted in Gabe Vasquez's win

Herrell lost the bid for reelection to New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District to Gabe Vasquez in 2022.

At the time, Herrell said the loss was a result of "gerrymandering" in the congressional district following a redistricting effort that stretched the second congressional district north into the Democrat stronghold of Bernalillo County and divided southeastern New Mexico's conservative oil country. After the loss, Herrell filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Elections Commission indicating her intention to run again in 2024.

In the 2022 election, Herrell lost to Vasquez by 1,310 votes. In the 2020 election, Herrell beat Xochitl Torres Small by just under 20,000 votes. Torres Small is now-Under Secretary for Rural Development. In the 2018 election, Torres Small beat Herrell by less than 3,000 votes.

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The instant backlash to the announcement

As Herrell announced inside, around 50 protestors made their presence felt outside.

The protestors positioned themselves adjacent to the museum's entrance. That ensured the attendees to Herrell's event saw the protestors before entering the venue. Protestors held signs of Vasquez's campaign or signs that read "Oppose Yvette Herrell" or "Guns over People." The protest was organized by Blue CD2, a political action committee.

One attendee, a Democrat from Otero County named Amy Rohr, told the Sun-News she made the drive to Las Cruces to protest Herrell's announcement.

"I think they're bad for New Mexico," Rohr said.

Yvonne Flores, a city councilor in Las Cruces, also turned out to protest Herrell. She got ahold of a megaphone and led a chant, saying "Hey hey, yo-yo, Yvette has got to go."

While Vasquez has yet to announce a run to keep his seat, his campaign provided the following statement:

"While Yvette Herrell’s crusade to ban abortion is impressive, Congressman Vasquez is focused on getting things done for the people of Southern New Mexico.”

In an emailed statement, DCC spokesperson Tommy Garcia said:

“After embracing people like xenophobic Marjorie Taylor Greene and disgraced former President Donald Trump, it’s unsurprising Kevin McCarthy is campaigning alongside MAGA extremist Yvette Herrell. Voters rejected Yvette Herrell in 2022, and they will again in 2024 because she is a proven conspiracy theorist more concerned with partisan politics and protecting wealthy corporations than tackling the real challenges facing everyday New Mexicans."

Justin Garcia covers public safety and local government in Las Cruces. He can be reached via email at JEGarcia@lcsun-news.com, via phone or text at 575-541-5449, or on Twitter @Just516Garc.

Jessica Onsurez can be reached at jonsurez@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JussGREAT.

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This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Speaker Kevin McCarthy stumps for Yvette Herrell