Ritchie Torres: Campaigns and Elections
Ritchie Torres's electoral career runs from a barrier-breaking 2013 City Council win through a competitive 2020 congressional primary to a safe House seat now tested by ideologically charged 2026 primary challenges. This section walks through each campaign in order, with results and context, citing primary or strong secondary sources.
A note up front: Torres has won every election he has entered, often in heavily Democratic contests where the primary is decisive. His most consequential recent electoral decisions have been about races he chose not to enter, the 2026 governor's race, and about defending his seat against challenges centered on his pro-Israel record.
2013: The historic City Council win
Torres first won office in 2013, running for the City Council in the 15th District in the central Bronx 1. At 25, he won and became the city's youngest elected official at the time and the first openly LGBTQ person elected to office in the Bronx 1,2. His campaign drew significant outside spending, including from a real-estate-linked PAC, a feature noted in coverage of the race 3. The win launched his political career.
2017: City Council re-election
Torres was re-elected to the City Council in 2017, winning a second term in the safely Democratic district 4. In the general election he faced only token opposition, consistent with the district's strong Democratic lean 4. The win allowed him to continue his oversight and housing work through 2020.
2020: Election to Congress
In 2020, Torres ran for the open 15th Congressional District seat in the South Bronx, being vacated by retiring Representative José E. Serrano 5. He prevailed in a crowded and competitive Democratic primary, the decisive contest in the heavily Democratic district, and won the general election, taking office in January 2021 5,6. The win made him the first openly gay Afro-Latino member of Congress and, with Mondaire Jones, one of the first openly gay Black men in Congress 5.
2022 and 2024: House re-elections
Torres was re-elected to the House in 2022 and 2024 in his safely Democratic district 7. In 2024, he defeated his general-election opponents, and his Democratic primary that year was effectively uncontested 7. His electoral security at home gave him latitude to build a national profile and to weigh higher office.
2025: Weighing, then declining, a governor run
Torres's most consequential 2025 electoral decision concerned a race he ultimately did not enter. Through early 2025, he positioned himself for a possible 2026 Democratic primary challenge to Governor Kathy Hochul, launching a listening tour, sharply criticizing her, and not ruling out a run for mayor either 8,9. He had signaled that the New York City mayoral primary would influence his decision, and he backed Andrew Cuomo in that race 10.
After Zohran Mamdani defeated Cuomo in the June 2025 mayoral primary, Torres announced he was unlikely to run for governor, saying he would focus on Washington and defending the Bronx from federal cuts, and he later endorsed Hochul for re-election 11,12. His exit left a gap to Hochul's right in the Democratic field, which also featured Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado challenging her from the left 11. The episode is detailed in the relationships and controversies sections of this series.
2026: Defending his House seat
Heading into 2026, Torres faced a Democratic primary for his House seat defined by his pro-Israel record. His challengers included Michael Blake, a former state assemblyman and former DNC vice chair who centered his campaign on opposing Torres's support for Israel and his acceptance of pro-Israel donations, along with other candidates further to the left, including Jose Vega and Andre Easton 13,14. Some of his potential challengers, such as Israel-supporting Assembly member Amanda Septimo, did not ultimately mount sustained campaigns 15.
Despite the energized opposition, a poll released in 2026 by a left-leaning group showed Torres with a commanding lead, reported at around 60 percent against his challengers 16. As of the latest verified information, the June 2026 primary was upcoming.
Fundraising and political profile
Torres is described as a prolific fundraiser with a national profile unusual for a member representing such a low-income district, and he has drawn financial support from pro-Israel groups and from some donors associated with President Trump, a feature that has itself drawn criticism 17. His fundraising strength has bolstered his electoral security.
Electoral pattern and analysis
Torres's electoral record is one of consistent victory in heavily Democratic contests, punctuated by high-profile decisions about races he chose not to enter. He broke barriers in 2013, won a competitive open primary for Congress in 2020, and has since held a safe seat, freeing him to build national influence and to flirt with statewide office.
The pattern is that of a politician dominant in his own district whose biggest recent electoral drama has been internal to his party: the governor's race he declined amid the rise of the city's left, and the 2026 primary challenges to his seat driven by his pro-Israel stance. His commanding position in early 2026 polling suggests durable strength at home, even as his national alignment has made him a target. The June 2026 primary represents the next test of whether the progressive backlash over Israel can dent his Bronx base.
Summary of electoral results
2013 NYC Council (District 15): won (youngest NYC elected official at the time; first openly LGBTQ official in the Bronx); re-elected 2017.
2020 U.S. House (NY-15): won open seat (first openly gay Afro-Latino member of Congress); took office January 2021.
2022, 2024 U.S. House (NY-15): re-elected.
2026 Governor: weighed a challenge to Hochul, then declined and endorsed her.
June 2026 Democratic primary (House): upcoming, with challengers focused on his Israel record; early polling showed Torres leading.