As the general election nears, some Democrats are adopting Republican policies to attract voters. Kamala Harris has recently pledged to build the border wall, a policy she previously criticized. Axios reported this shift in her stance.
Harris had consistently opposed the border wall, calling it a "stupid waste of money" and "un-American." She also stated she wouldn't "vote for a border wall under any circumstances." The Biden/Harris administration halted construction of the border wall as one of its first executive orders.
New Mexico Representative Gabe Vasquez is another Democrat modifying his position before the election. He is now presenting himself as a strong border security candidate in recent ads, aligning more with his Republican challenger, Yvette Herrell.
Vasquez has a history of criticizing the border wall, labeling it "racist" and advocating to "tear what's left of it down." He has voted against strong border security bills and took pro-illegal immigration stances. Notably, he voted against the Laken Riley Act and refused to condemn illegal immigrants voting in U.S. elections.
Steve Pearce, Chairman of the Republican Party of New Mexico, commented on these shifts: “Gabe Vasquez, like Kamala Harris, will pretend to embrace Republican policies before an election because he knows his own unpopular and radical open-border positions have put many New Mexicans in danger and made the second congressional district less safe.” Pearce added that “Republican Yvette Herrell has remained unwavering in her commitment to securing the border, equipping border patrol, and prioritizing the safety of our border communities."