Vulnerable Democratic House member forced to condemn governor’s gun restriction

September 19, 2023 04:14 PM

A vulnerable Democrat in the House of Representatives will be forced to vote “yes” to condemn the governor of his state after she moved to outlaw open and concealed carry in a part of New Mexico where there was a series of shootings of children.

Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) said on Tuesday that he would vote in favor of condemning Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM) for restricting guns in Bernalillo County. The order that restricts guns outside of law enforcement use is only meant to last 30 days, but it was strongly rebuked by both parties and activists.

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“I plan to vote yes on the resolution,” Vasquez told the Messenger. “As a responsible gun owner, I will continue to support common sense solutions that reduce gun violence, such as the the Bipartisan Background Check Act and Ethan’s Law, in addition to the proposals we need to support in the state of New Mexico, like the Bennie Hargrove Gun Safety Act. We must produce constitutional, legal, and enforceable solutions that will help protect our children and our families.”

Vasquez is one of two vulnerable freshman Democrats — he won his seat by 0.7% in 2022. Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO) is also considered vulnerable, having won her seat by the same margin in 2022.

Lujan Grisham’s order comes after a road rage shooting killed an 11-year-old and wounded a woman in her 20s on Sept. 7. The governor declared gun violence a public health emergency as a result, which has been challenged in court. However, Lujan Grisham said she was prepared to dive into the debate.

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State Republicans have also called for the governor’s impeachment for “violating her oath” to New Mexico. Republicans in the House were the ones who introduced the condemnation resolution. Although many Republicans and some Democrats are expected to vote in favor of the resolution, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) said he believed the governor had no other choice.

“Gun violence is an epidemic that the governor of New Mexico could not ignore in her state,” Nadler said.