Marine combat veteran bets big on Hispanic outreach in bid to flip Dem-held House seat

A Republican candidate seeking to unseat a Democratic congressman in southern New Mexico is making the case that his Hispanic heritage and career in law enforcement and the military give him a unique advantage in a district where shifting demographics could reshape the political map.

Greg Cunningham, a Marine reconnaissance veteran and former Albuquerque police officer who also served as a Drug Enforcement Administration task force officer, became the default GOP nominee in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District after his lone primary challenger withdrew in April. He is the first new Republican candidate the district has seen since 2018, when Yvette Herrell first captured the seat. Herrell held it until losing to Democratic Rep. Gabe Vasquez by 4.2 percentage points in 2024.

The 2nd Congressional District is one of thirteen nationally that voted for President Donald Trump in 2024 while simultaneously sending a Democrat to Congress. The Cook Political Report rates the district as "leans Democratic" with a D+0 score, underscoring how competitive the race has become. With New Mexico's population roughly 50 percent Hispanic according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, both parties are paying close attention to how Hispanic voters in the region might lean.

Cunningham argues that his background aligns closely with the values he sees in the district's Hispanic community, which he described as fundamentally conservative.

"I connect with them on that level," Cunningham said in describing his outreach to Hispanic voters. "They wanted somebody with law enforcement or military experience, which, you now know, I have both."

He added: "One of the reasons that I decided to run — that I feel so strongly about this is, you know, Hispanic culture is at its core a conservative culture."

Cunningham's résumé reflects decades in uniform. After serving in combat as a Marine, he joined the Albuquerque Police Department, where he spent time on patrol and in narcotics investigations. He later worked as a DEA task force officer handling federal drug and cartel cases and took on undercover assignments before moving into private security.

He contrasted his profile with Herrell's, praising his predecessor but insisting the district needs a different kind of candidate.

"I love Yvette Herrell, but I am a different person in every way, shape, and form. And what I bring to CD2 and to this race is exactly what we need," Cunningham said.

Cunningham also pointed to what he described as ongoing public safety challenges in the district, even as illegal immigration has decreased. He framed those issues as continuations of problems he witnessed during his time working on drug and cartel cases decades ago.

"The human invasion portion of that equation is solved. The law enforcement, human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, all of those challenges are the same exact challenges that I faced when I worked down there 20 years ago. Nothing has changed," he said.

Beyond policy, Cunningham said his campaign is built on a values-driven message aimed at Hispanic families across southern New Mexico.

"We value our families, we value our culture, we value our faith. And so, I think when you take Republican or Democrat, take the donkey or the elephant out of it, and you start speaking to people on a core level, who are you?" he said.

"We all want the very same things," he added.

Cunningham acknowledged that persuading voters the seat is winnable is itself a major hurdle in a district with a recent Democratic track record.

"I just have to convince [New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District] why we can win this," he said.

The race is unfolding against a broader national backdrop in which Republicans are working to expand their appeal among Hispanic voters, a group that has historically supported Democratic candidates but has shown signs of movement in recent cycles. With control of the House potentially hanging on a small number of districts like New Mexico's 2nd, both parties are expected to invest heavily in outreach, messaging, and ground operations over the coming months.

Cunningham's campaign signals a continuation of that effort, pairing a personal narrative rooted in military service and federal law enforcement work with a direct appeal to shared cultural and family values. How that message lands with Hispanic voters in one of the country's most closely watched swing districts will help shape not only the outcome of this race but also the strategic calculations of both parties heading into 2026.