Yvette Herrell

Stella Yvette Herrell (ee-VETT HERR-əl; born March 16, 1964) is an American politician and realtor who served as the U.S. representative for New Mexico’s 2nd congressional district from January 3, 2021, to January 3, 2023. A member of the Republican Party, she previously served four terms in the New Mexico House of Representatives, representing the 51st district from 2011 to 2019. Over the course of her career, she became the first Republican Native woman elected to Congress, the first Cherokee woman, the third Native American woman, and the second Native woman from New Mexico elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. During the 117th Congress she was the only Republican member of New Mexico’s congressional delegation and the last Republican U.S. representative from the state.

Herrell built a professional career in real estate before entering elective office, working as a realtor and operating a real estate company that did business with state agencies. An Associated Press review in 2018 of her campaign finance disclosure records reported that her company had earned $440,000 in contracts with two New Mexico state agencies over five years and that these contracts had not been disclosed on her campaign filings. Herrell responded that she had submitted all required paperwork and characterized the allegations as “an attack on my moral character” orchestrated by one of her opponents in the Republican congressional primary. Her business background and work in real estate informed her later political emphasis on private enterprise, property rights, and limiting government regulation.

Herrell was first elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives in 2010 and took office in January 2011, representing the 51st district. She was reelected three times and served until 2019. During her four terms in the state legislature, she participated in the lawmaking process in Santa Fe and developed a reputation as a conservative Republican legislator. Herrell’s legislative work at the state level helped establish her profile within New Mexico politics and laid the groundwork for her subsequent campaigns for federal office.

In 2018, Herrell was the Republican nominee for New Mexico’s 2nd congressional district. In a closely watched race against Democratic attorney and political newcomer Xochitl Torres Small, initial election night returns showed Herrell in the lead, and some New Mexico media organizations projected that she would win. As additional ballots were counted the following day, her lead narrowed, and media outlets rescinded their early projections. The final tally, including absentee ballots, gave Torres Small a 51% to 49% victory. Before ultimately conceding, Herrell, without offering evidence, alleged possible election fraud in the contest. Despite the loss, the narrow margin kept her at the center of Republican efforts to recapture the district.

Herrell again sought the 2nd district seat in 2020. In the Republican primary, she faced businesswoman Claire Chase and businessman Chris Mathys, winning the nomination with 45.6% of the vote. In the November general election, she ran a campaign focused on strengthening security along the southern U.S. border, supporting small businesses, and opposing what she characterized as overly tight government regulation. She defeated incumbent Democrat Xochitl Torres Small by a margin of 54% to 46%. Herrell took office in the U.S. House of Representatives on January 3, 2021, beginning her single term in Congress and representing a largely rural and southern New Mexico district.

During her congressional service from 2021 to 2023, Herrell participated in the legislative process and represented the interests of her constituents in the 2nd district at a time of significant national debate over public health, economic recovery, and border and energy policy. As a member of the House of Representatives, she contributed to the work of the 117th Congress and was a consistent Republican voice on issues affecting New Mexico, including energy production, land use, and border security. Herrell’s tenure marked a historic milestone for Native American representation in Congress, as she served as the first Republican Native woman and first Cherokee woman in the House, and she remained the only Republican in New Mexico’s federal delegation throughout her term.

Herrell ran for reelection in 2022, seeking a second term in the House. She was unopposed in the Republican primary and advanced to the general election against Democratic nominee Gabe Vasquez, a former Las Cruces city councillor. The race was highly competitive, and Vasquez ultimately won by a margin of less than 1%, narrowly unseating Herrell after one term. In 2024, Herrell again sought to reclaim her former seat in the 2nd congressional district. Facing Vasquez in a rematch, she lost a second time, receiving 48% of the vote to Vasquez’s 52%.

After leaving Congress, Herrell remained active in Republican politics and public affairs. In June 2025, she was nominated by former President Donald Trump to serve as Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Congressional Relations, a senior position within the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for managing the department’s interactions with Congress. This nomination reflected her experience in both state and federal legislative bodies and her continued prominence within Republican circles at the national level.