Ritchie TorresRitchie Torres

Younger congresspeople who are nonetheless veterans of DC, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ritchie Torres represent neighboring districts but bring very different temperaments to their work. Torres, a former progressive City Council member, has become more moderate over his tenure—often critiquing the DSA-aligned left for undermining good governance. On the other hand, AOC is a national hero of the left and a potential future candidate for Senate or the presidency. However, though they represent different ideological “lanes,” they share a rejection of failed status quo politics—and a shared fight for a government that actually works better at delivering outcomes for working people in their districts and beyond.

A third-term member, Rep. Ritchie Torres has quickly emerged as an outspoken champion of the U.S.-Israel relationship. Torres voted for supplemental security assistance for the Jewish state.

“Ritchie Torres has emerged as a leading voice for democratic values, economic opportunity, and communities that have too often been overlooked by those in power. His story reflects the promise of American democracy, and his leadership continues to inspire a new generation of public servants committed to expanding freedom and opportunity for all.”

Rep. Ritchie Torres made history in 2020 as the first openly LGBTQ Black-Latino Member ever elected to Congress — and he is also the first openly LGBTQ Member of Congress elected from New York City. This fighter from the South Bronx is running for reelection in New York’s 15th Congressional District.

Every endorsed candidate voted for the Faster Labor Contracts Act, a Teamsters-backed bill that would streamline the process for newly organized workers who are working to secure their first collective bargaining agreement. "It's an honor to support this bipartisan group of incumbents, because the Faster Labor Contracts Act is a gamechanger, and it will empower workers more than any federal law that's been passed since the New Deal," said Thomas Gesualdi, President of Teamsters Joint Council 16. "Support for this bill is a litmus test for whether a member of Congress actually supports the American worker, and every one of our endorsed candidates passed that test with flying colors."

Ritchie Torres is running for Congress, District 15