Former New Mexico congresswoman Yvette Herrell has been appointed to a position in the Trump administration. Herrell, who served one term after winning the 2020 election, will not run for the southern New Mexico-based seat in 2026. A spokesman for Herrell confirmed her decision not to contest the 2nd Congressional District seat, currently held by Democrat U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez.
The district has been a competitive battleground but shifted more favorably towards Democrats under a new congressional map implemented in 2022. Vasquez defeated Herrell in last year's general election with approximately 52% of the vote, marking a larger margin than his previous narrow victory over her.
Herrell, previously a state legislator, was appointed as an assistant secretary for congressional relations at the U.S. Department of Agriculture by President Trump in June. Her nomination is pending confirmation by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, which includes U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján from New Mexico.
Since leaving Congress, Herrell has worked as a real estate broker in Alamogordo and owns an ice and water vending machine company. She plans to transfer ownership of this business to her family if confirmed for her new role.
As assistant secretary, Herrell would join a federal agency that employs nearly 100,000 people and manages entities like the U.S. Forest Service. She would succeed Adrienne Wojciechowski, who resigned in January after Trump's inauguration.
The USDA is currently led by Brooke Rollins, who announced plans to repeal restrictions on road construction and logging on Forest Service land during a Western Governors Association meeting in Santa Fe. Rollins also outlined restructuring efforts to relocate most USDA employees from Washington D.C. to five other cities across the country.
Herrell's appointment may influence other Republicans considering entering next year's race for CD2. Eddy Aragon, a radio talk show host and former Albuquerque mayoral candidate, declared his candidacy in May and is presently the only Republican contender according to federal election records. Vasquez intends to seek reelection in this district that spans southern New Mexico into Albuquerque’s South Valley.
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