Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) is facing several attacks from Republicans after criminal allegations from the past surfaced last week.

The Washington Examiner confirmed a report that Vasquez called his former place of employment, a call center, and said a racial slur in 2004. The New Mexico Democrat represents the state’s 2nd Congressional District, a swing district in which the incumbent has been unseated in the last two election cycles.

Vasquez, who identifies as a first-generation Mexican American, was allegedly fired for falsifying data from Research Data Design Incorporated and “had been calling harassing employees” before the incident in which he called the company and asked for “Chris.”

When the employee didn’t know who he meant, he said, “Chris, the n*****,” and the employee hung up. He called back to another employee and asked for Chris again, saying, “Chris, the black man,” before laughing and hanging up.

The July 29, 2004, police report indicates Vasquez was charged with one count of “USE OF TELE TO TERRIFY, INTIMIDATE, THREAT, HARASS,” which is a misdemeanor in New Mexico. However, the case was suspended in 2008, according to the report, which likely means the investigation was abandoned.

The Washington Examiner confirmed the report by contacting the Las Cruces Police Department for the public records, including the one in which Vasquez said a racial slur. While the agency would not confirm it was Vasquez in the report, when asked for responsive records for a Gabriel Vasquez with the same birthdate as the New Mexico Democrat, a spokesperson pointed to previous records obtained.

The agency also did not redact the New Mexico Democrat’s first name when the report on the racial slur was initially requested. Republicans in New Mexico seized the moment when the original report came out to attack Vasquez.

“Rep. Gabe Vasquez’s pattern of unacceptable behavior — using the N-word to harass his former work colleague, falsifying data, trying to evade police, displaying apparent anger issues, and repeatedly refusing to appear in court to address his charges — points to one conclusion: Gabe Vasquez does not possess the character worthy of a New Mexico representative,” New Mexico GOP Chairman Steve Pearce said.

“Rep. Vasquez should apologize for his indefensible actions and resign from Congress,” Pearce added. “If he refuses, New Mexicans have the power to hold him accountable in November by casting their vote for Yvette Herrell,” a Republican candidate for the House seat.

The Washington Examiner reached out to Vasquez’s office for comment but did not receive a response. Vasquez previously responded to the allegation, issuing a strong denial.

“I have not and would never use language like this, this attack is categorically false,” Vasquez said. “This is another example of how desperate Republicans are lying about my character rather than focusing on delivering for New Mexico.”

He then attempted to pivot attention to his opponents’ abortion position, saying, “It is not a coincidence that these lies are coming immediately after the video of Yvette Herrell wanting to ban all abortion in New Mexico, even in the case of rape and incest, came to light.”

At a Republican candidate forum in 2020, Herrell said, “I wish we could have eliminated all abortion in the state.”

Herrell is Vasquez’s likely Republican opponent in the 2024 election and is looking to reclaim her congressional seat after the Democrat flipped it in 2022. Herrell lost the district by less than 1 percentage point.

She called the incident in which Vasquez allegedly said a racial slur “absolutely disgusting conduct.”

In two of the other four reports, Vasquez was arrested. In 2005, the congressman was criminally cited for marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. In both cases, he was released with a criminal summons, and the cases were suspended.

Vasquez lived in Las Cruces during the period of his criminal trouble and attended New Mexico State University. Before that, he grew up in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and was born in El Paso, Texas.

One of the other reports alleged that police in El Paso had executed an arrest warrant for Vasquez for overdue traffic violation fees in the state. His attorney denied he was arrested.

“The state of Texas routinely fails to notify drivers of traffic infractions and the need to come to court, leading to a high volume of erroneous arrest warrants that are designed to bring attention to missed court dates—whether they knew about the original court date or not,” his attorney wrote in a statement.

“Congressman Vasquez was never booked nor arrested and the warrant in question was never executed,” the attorney continued. “As soon as Vasquez found out about his missed court date, he paid the bond and this is now a simple administrative matter that will be handled by counsel.”

The allegations surfaced as Vasquez closes in on his electoral battle with Herrell, likely set for a rematch in November. They also give Republicans more firepower as the congressman is facing attacks from the Right for his handling of illegal immigration into his district.

If Republicans can flip the district, they will reclaim a seat they lost in 2022 and end a Democratic shutout of the GOP in the state.

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First, Vasquez and Herrell will run unopposed in their respective Tuesday primaries. The New Mexico Democrat has fundraised about $3 million to Herrell’s nearly $1.9 million, with $1 million separating them in cash on hand.

The Cook Political Report rates the race as a “Democrat Toss-Up,” and a poll conducted in September 2023 showed Herrell with a 1-point lead.