Vulnerable battleground Dem embraces 'no tax on tips' after voting against Trump bill

Gabriel Vasquez, a Democrat representing New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District, voted against legislation that included a no-tax-on-tips provision in 2024, then introduced his own Tip Income Protection and Security Act weeks later to make the policy permanent. Vasquez's TIPS Act would exempt tips from federal income taxation. The reversal occurred as Vasquez, who won his 2022 election in a competitive district, faced 2026 reelection in a district where hospitality workers represent a significant voting bloc.

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