New York Democratic Representative Ritchie Torres is reportedly contemplating a bid for the state's governorship, a move that has been accompanied by a surge of criticism against his party's leadership.
Torres has been particularly vocal in his opposition to the progressive criminal justice policies of his party and has been critical of Governor Kathy Hochul's management of the Empire State. This has sparked speculation about a potentially contentious primary in 2026.
According to Fox News, Torres has been particularly critical of Hochul, accusing her of stereotyping communities of color. "Hochul has a history of coded stereotyping, falsely claiming that young black Bronxites have never heard of the word computer. She knows as much about me and communities of color as she knows about governing effectively. Absolutely nothing," Torres wrote last week.
In a surprising move, Torres was among the first Democrats to attribute Vice President Kamala Harris' loss to President-elect Trump to the progressive left. He stated, "Donald Trump has no greater friend than the far left, which has managed to alienate historic numbers of Latinos, Blacks, Asians, and Jews from the Democratic Party."
When asked about his potential gubernatorial bid, Torres' spokesperson informed Fox News Digital that he is considering the possibility and plans to make a final decision by mid-2025. Torres himself provided a glimpse into his thought process when he criticized New York City Mayor Eric Adams for employing a staff member accused of tearing down posters of Israelis held hostage by Hamas. "If I were at the helm of NYS or NYC government, antisemites need not apply. Tearing down posters of the hostages is completely unacceptable and would not be tolerated," Torres stated on social media.
In November, Torres accused both Adams and Hochul of being "complicit" in a stabbing spree that resulted in the death of three New Yorkers. He also criticized New York's policies as being detrimental to business. "There are regulations in place that make it impossible to do business and have made it impossible to build," Torres said during a Citizens Budget Commission meeting, as reported by the New York Post.
Republican Representative Nick Langworthy, a former chair of the New York State Republican Party, said it was unsurprising to see Torres criticizing Hochul while considering his own gubernatorial bid. "Richie Torres is vocalizing many of the same criticisms Republicans have raised about the dysfunction in Albany. So its not surprising that shes facing a challenge from her own party," Langworthy said. However, he dismissed Torres' critiques of progressivism as "posturing in the face of Hochuls failures and the undeniable success" of Trumps platform.
Torres, a former member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), left the group earlier this year due to disagreements over Israel. When questioned about Torres' criticism, Hochul responded at a recent press conference that she was "a little busy" doing her job. "Those who have government jobs who aren't focused on their jobs, and are focused on an election almost two years off, I would think their constituents would have a problem with that," she said.
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