Ritchie Torres | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2021 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's15th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | José E. Serrano |
| Member of theNew York City Council from the15th district | |
| In office January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Joel Rivera |
| Succeeded by | Oswald Feliz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ritchie John Torres (1988-03-12)March 12, 1988 (age 37) New York City,New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | New York University (attended) |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Ritchie John Torres (born March 12, 1988) is an American politician and former policy analyst serving as theU.S. representative forNew York's 15th congressional district since 2021. A member of theDemocratic Party, he previously served on theNew York City Council from 2014 to 2020.[1]
Torres served as the New York City Council member for the15th district from 2014 to 2020. Torres chaired the Committee on Public Housing and was a deputymajority leader. As chair of the Oversight and Investigations Committee, he focused onpredatory lending associated withtaxi medallion procurement and the city'sThird Party Transfer Program. In 2016, Torres was a delegate for theBernie Sanders campaign.[2]
In July 2019, Torres announced his bid forNew York's 15th congressional district to succeed RepresentativeJosé E. Serrano. The district is one of the most Democratic-leaning congressional districts in the country.[3] Torres won the November 2020 general election and assumed office on January 3, 2021.[4] This madeMondaire Jones and him the first openly gay Black men elected to Congress.[5] It also made Torres the first openly gayAfro-Latino elected to Congress.[1] Torres served as one of nine co-chairs of theCongressional Equality Caucus (previously known as Congressional LGBTQ+ Caucus) and as one of the co-chairs of the Congressional Albanian Issues Caucus in the117th United States Congress.[6][7]
Torres is known for hispro-Israel advocacy and has faced criticism fromprogressives opposed to Israel's conduct in theGaza war.[8][9]. He represents the poorest congressional district in theUnited States.[10]
Ritchie Torres was born on March 12, 1988, inthe Bronx.[11] His father is Puerto Rican, while his mother was born in the Bronx to Puerto Rican parents.[12] Torres was raisedCatholic.[12][13]
Torres was raised by his mother in Throggs Neck Houses, apublic housing project in theThroggs Neck neighborhood of theEast Bronx,[14] where he was frequently hospitalized forasthma as a result of the mold in their apartment.[15] Of growing up economically disadvantaged in "slum conditions", Torres has said, "I was raised by a single mother who had to raise three children onminimum wage, and I lived in conditions of mold and vermin, lead and leaks."[16] His mother raised him, his twin brother, and their sister.[12] Torres was upset that the $269 million city-subsidizedTrump Golf Links was built "across the street" inFerry Point Park when those city funds could instead have been used to provide housing for New Yorkers in need. Torres has said that the construction of the Trump Golf Links helped him understand that he had to fight for struggling New Yorkers like himself.[16][17] In junior high, Torres realized he wasgay but did notcome out, fearinghomophobic violence.[18]
Torres attendedHerbert H. Lehman High School, served in the inaugural class of theCoro New York Exploring Leadership Program, and later worked as an intern in the offices of the mayor and theattorney general.[19][20] Hecame out while asophomore, during a schoolwide forum onmarriage equality.[14]
Torres enrolled atNew York University, but dropped out at the beginning of his sophomore year, as he was suffering from severedepression.[20] He struggled withsuicidal thoughts based on his sexuality.[18] As he recovered, Torres resumed working for council memberJames Vacca, eventually becoming Vacca's housing director.[20] In that role, Torres conducted site inspections and documented conditions, ensuring housing issues were promptly and adequately addressed.[19][21]
At 25 years old, Torres ran to succeedJoel Rivera as the councilmember for the15th district of theNew York City Council.[22][23] The district includesAllerton,Belmont,Bronx Park, Claremont Village,Crotona Park,Fordham,Mount Eden,Mount Hope,Norwood,Parkchester,Tremont,Van Nest,West Farms, andWilliamsbridge inthe Bronx.[19]
When he won the Democratic nomination for theNew York City Council, Torres became one of the firstopenly gay political candidates inthe Bronx to secure a Democratic nomination, and upon victory in the general election, he became the first openly gay public official in the Bronx.[24][25][12] Torres also served as a deputy leader of the city council.[26]
Upon his election, Torres requested the chairmanship of the council's committee on public housing, tasked with overseeing theNew York City Housing Authority (NYCHA);[27] as of July 2019, it is the "nation's largest public housing system", which "provides housing to more than 400,000 low-income residents" in "176,000 apartments across 325 complexes."[28] He made "the living conditions of the city's most underserved residents a signature priority."[29] In this role, he helped secure $3 million for Concourse Village, Inc., a nearly 1,900-unit housing cooperative in theSouth Bronx.[29] According to2010 United States census data, the South Bronx is among the poorest districts in the nation.[16] The cooperative is subsidized by theMitchell-Lama Housing Program, offering "income-restricted rentals and below-market value buy-in for co-ops".[29] He also secured nearly $1 million torenovate Dennis Lane Apartments, a Mitchell-Lama co-op in the heart of his district,[29] and "played a crucial role in exposing the city's failures to addresslead-paint contamination."[12]
In August 2019, along with fellow council memberVanessa Gibson, Torres announcedRight To Counsel 2.0, an expansion of legal aid to NYCHA tenants facingeviction.[30] Since the original law was passed in 2017, providing legal help throughout the entire eviction case, the council has found that 84% of tenants were able to stay in their homes.[30] The council members "say this will help keep families together and prevent displacement."[30] Torres said, "NYCHA is one of the worst evictees in the city ... Not just one of the worst landlords, but one of the worst evictors. In 2018 alone, 838 families lost their homes in the hands of the NYCHA."[31]
In April 2019, Torres worked on legislation aimed to compel companies that employgig workers to be transparent about whether the workers'tips are diverted to pay a base salary.[32]Mobile app delivery companies, likeDoorDash—which has freelance workers pickup and deliver meals from restaurants—Amazon's Prime Now, andInstacart, usually allow customers to add a gratuity, but the companies were counting the tips toward regular payment.[32][33] Torres characterized the practice as exploiting "an underclass of independent contractors", and hopes the city council can ban the practice altogether.[32]Vox noted the gig economy requires regulation for the estimated 57 million workers (in the U.S.) who have little protection, and few if any benefits.[33] Torres's bill would compel these companies to betransparent about the practice "by explicitly stating it in theirterms of service or by sending a notification as a transaction is being approved."[33]
As chair of the oversight and investigations committee, newly empowered in January 2018 by city council speakerCorey Johnson,[34] Torres said he had documentation that as early as 2010 theBloomberg administration was "aware that medallion prices could crumple",[35] a year beforeridesharing pioneerUber startedits service in the city. Medallion prices dropped considerably in 2014, likely due to competition from ride-share companies.[36] Medallion owners sued the city and Uber in November 2015.[37] By 2017, 60,000 ride-share vehicles outnumbered medallion vehicles by almost 4 to 1,[38] and many medallion owners faced the prospect ofbankruptcy or severe debt because of the low medallion prices, which few were willing to pay.[36][39] Torres said the "medallion market collapse is acautionary tale" and "one of the greatest government scandals in the history of New York City."[35]
In July 2019, the city council considered how to address thecity's taxicab industry with theNational Taxi Workers' Alliance's concerns that theNYC Taxi and Limousine Commission knowingly soldmedallions at inflated prices, bringing in $1 billion in revenue to the city government, while saddling "thousands of drivers with impossible debt loads", leading tosuicides.[35]
In July 2019, Torres proposed legislation to address the movement in New York towardcashless business practices at stores and restaurants.[40] He did so to preserve access for those who rely on cash for their purchases.[41] The businesses accept onlybank cards ande-commerce payments rather thanhard currency, in part for higher efficiency, possibly streamlining both cashiering, and accounting; and for security reasons, as having cash risks robbery.[40] According to theFederal Deposit Insurance Corporation, in 2017, 16.9% of African-American households "and 14% of Latino households did not have a bank account"; 6.5% of all households did not have a bank account; and 18.7% with accounts also used non-insured institutions for financial transactions.[41] In New York City, 12% did not have bank accounts in 2013, including "domestic violence survivors who don't wish to be traced and undocumented immigrants, as some of those who may face significant challenges when opening bank accounts."[40][42] They instead often usepayday loans andcheck-cashing facilities.[42] Torres's proposal would fine noncompliant businesses, while allowing them to refuse currency higher than$20 bills.[40] It also prohibits charging more for using cash.[42]
In July 2019, Torres, as chair of the oversight and investigation committee, andRobert Cornegy, chair of the committees on housing and buildings, released a report from the joint committee that conducted a city councilforensic investigation into the city'sThird-Party Transfer (TPT) program.[43] The TPT was started in 1996 underGiuliani's administration to let theDepartment of Housing and Preservation (HPD) transfer "derelict, tax-delinquent buildings to nonprofits that could rehabilitate and manage them", ostensibly for working-class people, freeing the city from ownership, or responsibility for tenants.[44] HPD followed a rule selecting "every other building in the same tax block with a lien—even for a few hundred dollars"—if even one was picked for TPT.[44]Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration characterized the TPT as a tool for taking over "distressed properties" in "blighted" areas."[45] The report,[a] however, holds that characterization is in tension with its findings, which implicatemalfeasance by both NYC's HPD and theDepartment of Finance (DOF), detailing how the agencies were "targeting and taking of numerous black and brown owned properties, and thus stripping these communities of millions of dollars of generational wealth."[43] According to Torres, "TPT is quite different from and far harsher than a typical foreclosure from the perspective of a property owner. If you are the target of a foreclosure, you get a share of the proceeds from the sale of your property. Under TPT, the city can completely strip you of all the equity in your property."[46] The TPT process strips the minority owner of the property and its value, and mitigates thesweat equity and resources invested—all with no compensation.[45]
Torres helped open the first homeless shelter for LGBT youth in the Bronx.[12] He also secured funds for senior centers to serve LGBT people in allfive NYC boroughs.[12]
In August 2019, Torres announced the city council was awarding $36.2 million for gun violence prevention and reduction.[47] He said shooting incidents in New York City were up from 413 in the first half of 2018 to 551 in the same period of 2019.[47]
Torres has stated that he is "intent on advancing politically", and has been floated as a future candidate formayor of New York City.[48] His "goal is to be a national champion for theurban poor."[18]
In July 2019, Torres announced his candidacy for theU.S. House of Representatives forNew York's 15th congressional district.[49] In his announcement, Torres shared his history ofdepression.[12] Torres said he was seeking the office to pursue "his legislative passions of overhauling public housing and focusing on the issues of concentrated poverty."[50] The 15th congressional district is the nation's poorest in terms ofmedian income.[50] Torres said, "If you are on a mission to fightracially concentrated poverty ... then you have to be a policymaker on the national stage."[50] He favors maximizingsocial housing in the nation, including the ending of land-use bans of apartments,[further explanation needed] which he says will result in thereduction of carbon emissions, as well as increase affordable housing.[50] Torres came under criticism for his willingness to take real estate cash donations during his campaign.[51]
Torres's main opponent as he started campaigning in the Democratic primary wasRubén Díaz Sr.,[18] aconservative Democrat andPentecostal minister, who does not believe in, and openly stood in opposition to,same-sex marriage.[49][52] Media outlets contextualized the contest between the two, noting their age difference, contrasting levels of experience, and Torres's open homosexuality versus Díaz's track record ofanti-LGBT rhetoric.[49][50][53] Torres said he saw Díaz as "temperamentally and ideologically indistinguishable" fromDonald Trump.[12] According toThe New York Times, Díaz had "a decades-long history of makinghomophobic remarks";[18]LGBTQ Nation said his anti-LGBT rhetoric started in the early 1990s, right after his start in city politics, when he claimed the city's hosting the1994 Gay Games "would spreadAIDS andcorrupt children".[53] In February 2019, Díaz said that the City Council was "controlled by homosexuals"; in response, the council dissolved a subcommittee he chaired.[16] As of July 2019[update], Torres had raised $500,000 and Díaz $80,000.[18] Torres was endorsed by theLGBTQ+ Victory Fund and theCongressional Equality Caucus (Equality PAC).[18]
The Democratic primary was held on June 23. Although an official winner had not yet been declared, Torres declared victory in the primary on July 22.[54][55][56] As the seat for which he was running is one of the safest Democratic seats in the country, he was expected to win the general election, after which he would become one of the first openly gay black Congressmen in U.S. history, along withMondaire Jones in the 17th district.[57] On August 4, local election officials declared Torres the winner of the primary.[58][59] This all but assured him of being the next congressman from this heavily Democratic, Latino-majority district. The 15th and its predecessors have been in Democratic hands for all but 11 months since 1927, the lone break in this tradition beingAmerican Labor Party memberLeo Isacson from February 1948 to January 1949. It has been held by Latino congressmen since 1971.
For the 2024 elections, Torres ran for reelection and successfully defeated Conservative Party candidate Gonzalo Duran, who was endorsed by the Republican Party. Duran, a U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant veteran of the Iraq War, serves as the CEO of a Devil Dog USA a nonprofit organization, the vice chairman of theBronx Conservative Party and District Leader of the 79th Assembly District.[60][61][62]
In November 2025, former vice chair of theDemocratic National CommitteeMichael Blake announced that he would challenge Torres in the 2026 Democratic primary forNew York's 15th congressional district. Blake is challenging Torres due to Torres' support of Israel.[63][64]
Torres took office on January 3, 2021.[4] Upon his swearing-in, he became the first openly gayAfro-Latin American member of Congress.[65]
On August 6, 2021, Torres introduced H.R. 4980, which would "ensure that any individual traveling on a flight that departs from or arrives to an airport inside the United States or a territory of the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19."[66][67]
Torres voted with PresidentJoe Biden's stated position 100% of the time in the117th Congress, according to aFiveThirtyEight analysis.[68]
Torres was among the 46 Democrats who voted against final passage of theFiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.[69] He said his vote was motivated by the newSNAP requirements included in the deal, which raised the work requirements from able-bodied adults under age 50 who do not live with any dependent children to adults under age 54, and the diversion of $20 billion in funding for theInternal Revenue Service.[70][71]
Torres reintroduced the B.O.D.E.G.A. Act in the House of Representatives in 2025. If signed into law, the legislation would offer federal funds tobodegas to cover the cost of security equipment such aspanic buttons and security cameras, as well as their installation.[72]
In September 2025, Torres described feeling left behind by the Democratic Party.[81]He has blamed what he calls the "far-left flank" of his party for causingDonald Trump's reelection[82] and has deleted hisleft-wing posts and issues on his website.[83] Since being elected, Torres has politically shifted to the center.[84][85][86][87]
Torres is viewed as an ally of thecryptocurrency industry.[88] He is a member of theCongressional Blockchain Caucus and has been a prominent critic of formerSEC chairGary Gensler's "regulation by enforcement" strategy towards cryptocurrencies.[89][90] Torres, along withSean McElwee, Drey Samuelson,Dylan Matthews,Joel Wertheimer, and Ethan Winter, urged regulators to let Americans bet on U.S. elections on platforms likeKalshi on the basis that it would increase public trust in democracy. They warned theCFTC that prohibiting such activity would worsen "the public's understanding of our democratic process" and promote "unsafe, black market exchanges". Critics argued that such a move could lead to a "gambling den" and election integrity concerns.[91]
Torres has voiced support for aGreen New Deal and was endorsed by theLeague of Conservation Voters in 2020. He suggested that public housing should be "a model for green and energy efficient buildings to help combat climate change while addressing its capital needs."[92] Torres has called theCross Bronx Expressway "a structure ofenvironmental racism" and supports a plan to cover the highway withgreen space.[93]
Speaking aboutElon Musk's falling out withDonald Trump, Torres said that "I'm a believer in redemption, and he is telling the truth about the"One Big Beautiful Bill Act after Musk feuded with Trump over the legislation. He also added that Musk has "done an enormous amount of damage" and "there are Democrats who see his decimation of the federal workforce and the federal government as an unforgivable sin."[94]
In 2023, Torres was among 56 Democrats to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21, which directed PresidentJoe Biden to remove U.S. troops fromSyria within 180 days.[95][96]
In July 2023, Torres was among 49 Democrats to break with President Biden and vote in favor of a ban on the deliverycluster munitions toUkraine.[97][98]
Torres voted in favor of three military aid package supplementals forUkraine,Israel, andTaiwan, respectively, in April 2024, along with most Democrats.[99][100][101] In a statement after the vote, he said, "The US has a singular obligation to help freedom fighters fight for their freedom, and nowhere more so than in Ukraine, whose self-defense against Putin's aggression must prevail."[102]
In June 2025, Torres co-signed a letter led by Rep.Josh Gottheimer asking Trump to comply with theTikTok divest-or-ban law and not grant further extensions to it.[103]
Since his election to the US Congress in 2019, Torres has served as a co-chair of theCongressional Albanian Issues Caucus.[104][105] He has been one of the most outspoken supporters of strengthening bilateral relations between theUnited States and Kosovo.[106] He has met with senior Albanian and Kosovar political representatives, including Kosovo's President,Vjosa Osmani.[107] He called for US military assistance toKosovo, describing it as "an unwavering ally of the US" and "America's greatest ally in theBalkans",[108] while stating that the country represents the exact opposite ofSerbia, which has served, according to Torres, as "Russia's satellite, whereVladimir Putin has been regarded the most highly respected person, while theautocratic government of Serbian PresidentAleksandar Vučić not only continues to defy American and Europeansanctions on Russia but also imports a huge amount of Russian-made weapons."[109]
Torres has called himself "the embodiment of a pro-Israelprogressive"[110] and has identified as aZionist.[111] The progressive groupFairness & Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR) wrote that he is "aggressively pro-Israel".[112] After winning election in 2020, he announced that he would not joinThe Squad, a group of left-wing Democratic representatives, because members did not vote for a resolution to condemn theBoycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. He has contrasted BDS's stagnancy with what he called the "path to peace" presented by theAbraham Accords.[113] He supported atwo-state solution for Israel and Palestine in 2022.[114]
Torres has been a longtime outspoken supporter of Israel, withPolitico describing him as Israel's "loudest" supporter.[115] Torres has accused SenatorJohn Fetterman's critics of attacking him for his "unapologetic pro-Israel politics" since media revelations about Fetterman's health.[116]
According toThe Nation, Torres has received support fromRonn Torossian, a public relations executive who has been involved in Israeli right-wing politics. In late 2023, Torossian helped Torres create Chutz PAC, apolitical action committee. After theOctober 7 attacks in 2023, Torossian started aWhatsApp group called "Jews for Ritchie Torres", which Torossian and Michael Sinensky moderated. Torossian and Sinensky said they raised over $150,000 for Torres.The Nation reported that in 2023 and 2024, Torossian introduced Torres to senior Israeli government officials and American donors. AfterZeteo reported on Torossian and Sinensky's support for Torres, Torres returned their donations.[117]
Torres andMike Lawler (R-N.Y.) introduced the COLUMBIA Act, a bill that would create "antisemitism monitors" at select colleges in the wake of the Gaza war.[118]
In November 2023, Torres rejected calls for a ceasefire in theGaza war. He called claims that Israel is committinggenocide against Palestinians in theGaza Strip a "blood libel".[119]
On November 7, 2023, Torres was one of 22 House Democrats who voted successfully tocensureRashida Tlaib, passing a resolution that accused her of "...promoting false narratives regarding the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack", as well as criticized, in particular, her use of the slogan "from the river to the sea".[120] In explaining why he voted for the censure, Torres wrote onTwitter, "Congress has a right to take a principled stand against hate speech calling for the destruction of the world's only Jewish nation-state."[121] In February 2024, he left the Congressional Progressive Caucus due to disagreements over theIsraeli–Palestinian conflict.[122]
In 2024, Torres criticized and accusedFursan al-Aqsa's creator of "normalizing the most monstrous forms of antisemitic violence and terror—like beheadings, suicide bombings, and the war crimes ofOctober 7th".[123] Torres appeared in the filmsBlind Spot[124] andOctober 8,[125][126] discussing antisemitism on American campuses after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel and subsequent war.[127][128][129] He has been criticized for his pro-Israel advocacy by some progressive Jews includingAbby Stein,Adam Friedland, and members ofJewish Voice for Peace.[130][131][132][133] Torres has also been criticized by supporters of Palestine for his strong support of Israel.[134][135][136][137] When pressed by Friedland, onThe Adam Friedland Show, to discuss the history that precipitated theGaza war, Torres responded, "It just kind of sounds like you're justifying antisemitism which is making me feel uncomfortable."[138][139]
In January 2025, Torres was one of 48 Democrats to vote for theLaken Riley Act, which requiresU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain undocumented immigrants accused of committing nonviolent theft-based crimes. Among those 48, he was one of seven who had previously voted against the bill in March 2024. Torres has supported ending the NYC's "right to shelter" law for people who aren't long-term residents of New York City. Torres said "When I first entered politics, I was on the left on the question of migration" and "even though law enforcement should prioritize the most violent criminals for deportation, I will no longer put myself in the position of defending anyone who commits any crime."[140] Torres later became one of 46 House Democrats who joined all Republicans to vote for a Senate-amended version of the bill.[141]
Torres supported "defunding the police" at the height of theBlack Lives Matter movement following themurder of George Floyd. He said that there "needs to be a radical redistribution of resources from policing into social services and community based alternatives to overcriminalization", and touted his work as a then-City Council member to successfully cut the NYPD's budget.[82]
However, in February 2022, Torres said that "The defund police movement is dead in New York City and good riddance."[142] In November 2024, during an interview on CNN withJim Acosta, he said, "there was never a mass constituency for a movement like 'Defund the Police', so we should be taking positions that are in line with the majority of Americans", and "I want to be crystal clear, the majority of Democrats never endorsed a movement like 'Defund the Police.'"[82] He has blamed "Defund the Police" movement for Democrats' loss of the White House.[83]
| Election history | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Year | Election | Results |
| NYC Council District 15 | 2013 | Democratic Primary |  Y Ritchie Torres 36.12%Joel Rivera 21.39% Cynthia Thompkins 20.97% Albert Alvarez 8.99% Raquel E. Batista 7.42% Joel M. Bauza 5.11% |
| General | Y Ritchie Torres (D) 91.15% Joel Rivera (R) 7.19% Joel M. Bauza (Conservative) 1.46% | ||
| 2017 | General | Y Ritchie Torres (D/WF) 93.6% Jayson Cancel (R/C) 6.3% | |
| United States Congress New York's 15th congressional district | 2020 | Democratic Primary | Y Ritchie Torres 29.44% Michael Blake 18.74% Ruben Diaz Sr. 14.30% Samelys López 12.77% Ydanis Rodríguez 11.02% |
| General | Y Ritchie Torres (D) 88.88% Patrick Delices (R/C) 11.12% | ||
| 2022 | General | Y Ritchie Torres (D) 82.70% Stylo Sapaskis (R) 17.19% | |
| 2024 | General | Y Ritchie Torres (D) 76.48% Gonzalo Duran (R/C) 21.12% Jose Vega (Independent) 2.40% | |
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| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's 15th congressional district 2021–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 283rd | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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