Torres won reelection comfortably in 2024, capturing more than 76 percent of the vote.

By Corey Walker, The Algemeiner

US Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) is entering the 2026 Democratic primary season with a strong lead, according to a newly released poll that suggests voters in the Bronx-based district remain firmly behind the outspoken congressman despite mounting criticism from the party’s progressive flank over his support for Israel.

The survey, released by left-wing group A Fight Worth Having, shows Torres with a commanding lead over the field, holding 60 percent of the vote compared to insurgent challengers Michael Blake at 15 percent and Jose Vega at 7 percent.

The poll paints a picture of a Democratic electorate that continues to favor Torres’ brand of pragmatic politics and national visibility, even as several challengers attempt to frame him as out of step with parts of the party’s activist base.

Torres, who represents one of the nation’s most heavily Democratic congressional districts, has become one of the Democratic Party’s most forceful defenders of Israel following Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, frequently clashing with anti-Israel activists and some members of the left wing of his party.

That posture has made him a prominent national figure and a target for progressive organizers seeking to unseat him.

But the new polling suggests those attacks may not be resonating broadly with voters in New York’s 15th Congressional District, where Torres has built a reputation as an outspoken advocate on issues ranging from public housing and anti-poverty programs to public safety and antisemitism.

The district, centered in the Bronx and home to large Latino and Black populations, remains overwhelmingly Democratic and has historically rewarded incumbents with strong constituent ties.

Torres won reelection comfortably in 2024, capturing more than 76 percent of the vote.

For Torres and his allies, the race underscores a wider debate within the Democratic Party over foreign policy, economic systems, and the role of activism in electoral politics.

While the outcome of the primary remains uncertain, the contest highlights competing visions not just for a congressional seat but for the direction of the party itself.

The poll also underscores a growing divide inside Democratic politics between activist-driven online movements and more traditional urban Democratic constituencies.

While Torres has faced sustained criticism on social media for his pro-Israel stance, the survey indicates many local voters continue to prioritize bread-and-butter concerns and view him as an effective representative for the district.

Political observers have increasingly described Torres as emblematic of a faction of Democrats attempting to push back against the party’s leftward drift on foreign policy and public safety.

His allies argue that his political resilience demonstrates there remains substantial support within Democratic strongholds for candidates who combine progressive domestic priorities with hawkish views on Israel and antisemitism.

The race has attracted national attention in part because Torres has become one of the most visible pro-Israel Democrats in Congress at a time when divisions over the Middle East have intensified inside the party.

Blake, a former Democratic National Committee vice chair, entered the race in part over disagreements with Torres’ positions on Israel, while other progressive challengers have also attempted to capitalize on the issue.

Since announcing his campaign to unseat Torres, Blake has lurched farther left on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in an apparent attempt to court progressive voters.

Blake has issued blistering statements condemning Israel of committing a so-called “genocide” in Gaza and vowed to vote against any military aid to the Jewish state.

“I am ready to fight for you and lower your cost of living while Ritchie fights for a Genocide. I will focus on Affordable Housing and Books as Ritchie will only focus on AIPAC and Bibi,” Blake posted on X in a statement last year announcing his candidacy, referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a prominent lobbying group, and using the nickname for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In May 2025, however, during his failed campaign for New York City mayor, Blake walked back his accusations of “genocide” against Israel, claiming that he regretted using the term to characterize the war in Gaza.

“It was wrong language to use,” Blake said, referencing his October 2023 post which accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. He apparently again reversed his stance when launching his congressional bid in New York’s 15th district.

Still, Torres enters the contest with major structural advantages, including a formidable fundraising operation.

Federal filings show he has amassed a massive financial war chest that dwarfs his opponents, reinforcing perceptions that he remains the clear favorite in the race.

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During his remarks this week, Easton claimed that 349 members of Congress have received “direct funding from Israel,” a characterization that misrepresents how US campaign finance works.

By Corey Walker, The Algemeiner

The race to unseat incumbent US Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) is drawing attention not only for its electoral implications but also for the broader ideological project outlined by some of his opponents.

Andre Easton, a far-left, anti-Israel high school teacher and member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, is running as an independent in New York’s 15th Congressional District on a platform that goes beyond defeating the incumbent.

In new remarks, Easton suggested that unseating Torres would not, on its own, achieve the political transformation he seeks.

“We understand that this has to be built in the election system, in the election cycle, and outside of the election cycle,” Easton said, describing a strategy that blends electoral participation with grassroots organizing aimed at shifting political and economic power toward the working class.

Easton then asserted that the implementation of socialism in the US was necessary to empower the economic downtrodden.

Easton made the comments on Monday night during an event hosted at The People’s Forum in New York City.

Andre Easton speaks to supporters in New York City. Photo: Screenshot

The event, titled “Palestine: A Test of Democracy,” featured a panel of individuals all donning keffiyehs — a traditional Arab headdress that has been repurposed following Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel to signify support for the anti-Israel political cause.

Easton also argued that removing elected officials who support Israel would only address “a symptom,” framing his campaign as part of a broader effort to build a socialist system in the United States.

He stated that having a few politicians removed for their “complicity in funding and supporting a genocide is a step in the right direction,” appearing to lend support to the false claim that Israel pursued genocide against the Palestinians during its campaign against the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza.

Torres, one of the most outspoken pro-Israel Democrats in Congress, has consistently backed the US-Israel alliance and condemned rising antisemitism.

His positions have made him a prominent voice within the party at a time of growing internal divisions over Middle East policy. Leftists have taken aim at Torres, accusing him of supporting a so-called “genocide” in Gaza.

During his remarks this week, Easton claimed that “349 members” of Congress have received “direct funding from Israel,” a characterization that misrepresents how US campaign finance works.

Organizations such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) are US-based and funded by American donors, though they advocate for strong US-Israel ties and support candidates aligned with that position.

Supporters of Torres argue that such rhetoric suggesting foreign funding risks fueling harmful narratives, particularly amid heightened concerns about antisemitism.

They contend that backing for Israel among US lawmakers reflects policy alignment rather than external control.

Easton, for his part, framed his campaign as an effort to mobilize supporters beyond traditional electoral participation.

He encouraged individuals to become “active participants” and “active protagonists” in shaping political outcomes, emphasizing sustained engagement outside of election cycles.

Political analysts have noted that campaigns like Easton’s bid often aim to influence the broader ideological landscape even when victory is unlikely.

By promoting more expansive policy goals and organizing committed supporters, such efforts can seek to shift the boundaries of mainstream political debate, sometimes referred to as the Overton window.

For Torres and his allies, the race underscores a wider debate within the Democratic Party over foreign policy, economic systems, and the role of activism in electoral politics.

While the outcome of the primary remains uncertain, the contest highlights competing visions not just for a congressional seat but for the direction of the party itself.

Another candidate seeking to defeat Torres is Michael Blake, a progressive former New York state assemblyman who is running an insurgent anti-Israel, left-wing campaign.

Efforts to unseat Torres are considered a longshot. Though little recent polling of the race has been publicly released, existing polls show Torres with widespread approval across his district.

The 15th district, which contains the heavily Jewish Riverdale suburbs, is expected to reelect Torres, although the Democratic primary is still to be held in June, followed by the general election in November.

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New York Rep. Ritchie Torres fired back at an Anti-Zionist America PAC member who accused him of funding “genocide” in Gaza and the war in Ukraine, calling him a Kremlin tool.

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The Nemorin campaign launch drew a largely young audience, signaling an effort to mobilize voters who have historically had low turnout in the district.

By Corey Walker, The Algemeiner

Public defender and Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) organizer Dalourny Nemorin has launched a primary challenge against US Rep. Ritchie Torres in New York’s 15th Congressional District, setting up a competitive intra-party contest in one of the nation’s poorest districts.

Nemorin announced her campaign on Wednesday at the Andrew Freedman Home in the Bronx, where she emphasized housing affordability, public housing conditions, immigrant services, and economic hardship as central issues facing the district.

She said many residents feel underserved and argued that the district requires “a new type of leadership.”

The area has a median household income of about $44,000, with more than 30 percent of residents living below the poverty line.

Torres, first elected in 2020, is a high-profile Democrat known for his work on housing oversight and for being the first openly LGBTQ Afro-Latino member of Congress.

He currently serves on the House Committee on Financial Services and has been a vocal supporter of Israel, a position that has drawn national attention and, in some cases, criticism from the Democratic Party’s left wing.

Nemorin, a member of the far-left DSA, is directly targeting Torres on campaign financing and foreign-policy stances, criticizing his acceptance of contributions from real-estate developers and from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

She argued these ties reflect a misalignment between the congressman’s priorities and the needs of the district.

Torres’s campaign has previously defended its donor base as consistent with his longstanding policy positions and record.

“I think the country is talking about a new type of representation, a new type of Democrat, a new type of leadership, which is what Zohran’s race represents,” she said, referring to Zohran Mamdani, who was elected mayor of New York City last week.

Mamdani, a democratic socialist and anti-Israel activist, is also a member of the DSA, which appears to see his victory as a sign of momentum.

The organization has reportedly created a list of far-left demands for Mamdani when he assumes office.

Most of the demands concern boycotts targeting Israeli-linked entities.

Nemorin’s challenge highlights ongoing divisions between establishment Democrats and progressive organizers in New York City.

Her campaign launch drew a largely young audience, signaling an effort to mobilize voters who have historically had low turnout in the district.

Her campaign has said it will focus on door-to-door organizing and outreach in public-housing complexes.

Since entering Congress, Torres has positioned himself as an outspoken ally of Israel.

As the Democratic Party has continued to grow increasingly critical of Israel over the past two years, amid the Gaza war, Torres has staunchly defended the Jewish state’s right to defend itself from existential threats such as the Hamas and Hezbollah terrorist groups.

He has also spoken against rising antisemitism in New York City, even calling on local universities to adopt more vigorous policies protecting Jewish students.

However, his strident support for Israel has sparked ire among the left flank of his own party.

Torres enters his reelection bid with significant advantages, including incumbency, name recognition, fundraising capacity, and a political network built over multiple election cycles.

Primary defeats of sitting members of Congress remain rare, but progressive groups have succeeded in previous New York races when able to drive high turnout among younger voters and renters.

Torres is expected to receive huge levels of support from the Jewish community within his district.

Moreover, Torres represents the poorest district for young people in the country, which is majority black and Latino, demographics with which far-left candidates have historically struggled.

Observers have also pointed out that former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo won Torres’s district during this year’s Democratic mayoral primary in New York City over the more progressive Mamdani, suggesting that the district possesses a deep reservoir of moderate voters.

The Democratic primary is scheduled for June 2026. Both campaigns are expected to center their messaging on housing, affordability, and constituent services.

However, Torres’s opponents, including former New York assemblyman Michael Blake, have taken repeated swipes against his record on Israel, indicating that they will attempt to center the war in Gaza as a main point of attack during the primary.

In his launch video, Blake attacked Torres for supposedly supporting a “genocide” in Gaza.

“I am ready to fight for you and lower your cost of living while Ritchie fights for a genocide,” Blake said in an announcement video.

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The remarks represent a notable shift from Torres, a New York Democrat who has historically defended Israel amid bipartisan divisions over the war.

By Corey Walker, The Algemeiner

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), one of Israel’s most vocal supporters in Congress, delivered pointed criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, saying the longtime leader has “done harm” to Israel’s relationship with the Democratic Party and called for an end to the war in Gaza.

“If you’re a Democrat, and if you’re a Democrat of color and if you’re a Black Democrat, you take immense pride in Barack Obama. He represents one of the greatest achievements in politics. We take great pride in his presidency,” Torres said in an interview.

“To see a foreign leader visibly disrespect him in the manner that Bibi Netanyahu did, I feel did irreparable damage to the relationship with the Democratic Party.”

Torres offered a gloomy assessment of Netanyahu’s relationship with the Democratic party, arguing that “the damage may be irreparable.” He also cautioned that support for the Jewish state is rapidly “eroding” according to various polls.

Furthermore, Torres stated that despite his strident support for Israel, he does not “consider myself having a good relationship with the Israeli government.”

Torres said that Netanyahu “made a terrible mistake” in establishing a cozy relationship with President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, arguing that the Israeli premier politicized the US-Israel relationship. The progressive lawmaker said that there is a “legitimate perception that the present Israeli government is just aligned with the Republican Party.”

The remarks represent a notable shift from Torres, a New York Democrat who has historically defended Israel amid bipartisan divisions over the war.

While maintaining his commitment to Israel’s security, Torres said Netanyahu’s government has failed to articulate a clear endgame in Gaza and warned that the ongoing military campaign is undermining both humanitarian values and strategic interests.

“There’s a real need to end the war, secure the release of the hostages, bring humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in distress.”

Torres cited prominent Israeli journalists and media figures who have warned that Gaza has approached “catastrophic” levels of hunger and that famine might be looming without a rapid policy shift.

Torres’s comments come amid growing pressure from the Democratic base on centrist and progressive Democrats alike to take a firmer stance on Israel’s military operations, which have resulted in the deaths of more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel launched its campaign following the October 7 Hamas attack that killed approximately 1,200 people and took over 200 hostages, according to Israeli officials.

Torres’s comments underscore a growing divide within the Democratic Party over the U.S.-Israel relationship. While the party remains broadly supportive of Israel’s right to defend itself, a significant faction, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), condemned the war in Gaza and called for a suspension of U.S. military aid to Israel.

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An episode of “Fit and Fresh After Hours” featured shocking antisemitic remarks that praised Hitler and called for violence against Jews.

By David Brummer, World Israel News

A recent episode of a U.S.-based podcast has sparked national outrage after guests praised Adolf Hitler, justified the Holocaust, and made violent threats against Jews—all while the host smirked and laughed.

The controversial remarks came during an episode of The Fit and Fresh After Hours podcast, hosted by Myron Gaines and broadcast on the video platform Rumble.

The podcast, known for its provocative conversations, crossed a dangerous line when several young panelists engaged in openly antisemitic rhetoric.

In a now-deleted clip that went viral on social media, a female guest launched into a tirade defending Hitler’s actions during the Holocaust.

“The Jews did something to the Germans that made them act a certain way,” she claimed. “The Holocaust was the only way [Hitler could] take out a huge amount of Jews all in one setting.”

“They are stealing from American people,” she added, blaming Jews for the collapse of American systems. “They’re the reason the healthcare system, and everything around us is falling apart.”

Rather than challenge the comments, other panelists offered support. “I’m with you on that one,” said one.

Another added, “They started it.” One guest even encouraged her: “Talk s**t about them.”

The segment escalated even further when the group began discussing what actions should be taken.

“We need to take them out,” one said. Another added: “We got to kill the motherf***ers.”

Host Myron Gaines, who appeared on camera throughout the discussion, reacted by smiling, rolling his eyes, and laughing but did not attempt to stop or condemn the conversation.

Gaines, whose real name is Amrou Fudl, has often taken to X to launch expletive-laden tirades against Jews and Judaism.

The footage was widely condemned after being reposted on X (formerly Twitter) by Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), who described it as “profoundly disturbing.”

Torres warned that “the only thing more terrifying than Holocaust denial is Holocaust glorification.”

It is profoundly disturbing to see young social media influencers casually rationalize Hitler and the Nazi regime’s systematic extermination of six million Jews during the Holocaust. The only thing more terrifying than Holocaust denial is Holocaust glorification.

The comfort… pic.twitter.com/11w4gZpG0V

— Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) July 25, 2025

“The comfort with which these commentators defend the most evil man ever to roam the earth should send chills down the spine of every decent person,” he added.

Conservative political commentator Scott Jennings also weighed in with a scathing monologue posted to X.

“This is one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever seen,” Jennings said.

He identified the host, Myron Gaines, by name and criticized him for sitting by silently while dangerous hate speech unfolded on his platform.

We have a growing anti-Semitism problem in America. My closing monologue today addressing the Myron Gaines podcast discussion of the Holocaust. pic.twitter.com/JyXDx53I2g

— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) July 26, 2025

Jennings called the episode a sign of rising antisemitism among young Americans and urged a stronger national response.

While Rumble has since removed the video, neither Gaines nor the podcast has issued an apology.

The incident has renewed concerns about the radicalizing power of influencer platforms and the normalization of hate speech online.

Critics say the episode illustrates how conspiracy theories and violent rhetoric are being casually spread by young creators to massive audiences—with few, if any, consequences.

As the backlash continues, many are calling on major platforms, advertisers, and political leaders to take a harder stance against online antisemitism and the figures who help amplify it.

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Torres: “Arabs in the Jewish state enjoy far more rights than Jews ever did—or still do—in Arab states.”

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

New York Democratic Congressman Ritchie Torres defended Israel’s treatment of its Arab citizens.

“Arabs in the Jewish state enjoy far more rights than Jews ever did—or still do—in Arab states, to the extent that any Jews remain there at all,” Torres wrote on X.

“The ethnic cleansing of Jews from the Arab world was so thorough that virtually none remain,” he added.

“In 2021, for example, the last Jew fled Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power—ending more than 2,500 years of continuous Jewish presence stretching back to the Babylonian exile,” Torres continued, clarifying that Afghanistan is a Muslim but not an Arab country.

During Ramadan, Torres praised Israel’s committment to diversity when he wrote on X, “Israel has been a responsible guardian of the Abrahamic tradition, transforming Jerusalem into a miraculous mosaic of religious pluralism among the most devout Jews, Christians, and Muslims.”

He noted, “Under Israeli sovereignty, 80,000 Muslims freely prayed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first day of Ramadan. By contrast, during Jordanian control over east Jerusalem from 1948 to 1967, Jews were strictly prohibited from even entering the Old City, let alone praying at the Western Wall.”

“Israel’s unprecedented commitment to religious liberty and diversity in the world’s holiest city is among the unacknowledged virtues of the Jewish state,” Torres said.

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Congressman Ritchie Torres is calling for a police investigation into a threatening TikTok video by Guy Christensen, who praised the slaying of two Israeli embassy staffers last week.

By World Israel News Staff

A notorious anti-Israel TikTok star issued a veiled death threat against a pro-Israel congressman, hinting that the politician will not be “alive” several years from now.

Guy Christensen, 19, slammed Rep. Ritchie Torres, a Democratic Congressman from New York who is staunchly pro-Israel, in a video published to his TikTok account on Tuesday.

Christensen’s diatribe appeared to have been triggered by a recent tweet by Torres, in which the politician stated that there is no genocide in the Gaza Strip.

“Now, Ritchie, screenshots are forever, and what you’ve said and done will haunt your family for eternity, as you will eventually, if you’re still alive, end up in a Nuremberg trial,” Christensen said in the clip, while wearing a red and white keffiyeh, a checkered scarf associated with Palestinian nationalism.

“Ritchie is going to keep on meeting … Zionist officials who are wanted for war crimes. So, shame on Ritchie. He is a Zionist scumbag. And I hope the money he sleeps on at night his pajamas blood red. Thank you and free Palestine,” Christensen added.

In an open letter to U.S. Capitol Chief of Police Thomas Manger, Torres urged an investigation of Christensen, saying that his remarks should be investigated as a threat against the congressman’s life.

“The phrase ‘if you’re still alive’ carries a chilling and menacing implication—suggesting that I may be targeted or harmed,” Torres wrote.

“These words raise serious concerns about whether Mr. Christensen is inciting violence or encouraging others to take action against me.”

Torres noted Christensen’s praise for Elias Rodriguez, the gunmen who murdered two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington D.C. last week.

Christensen a “self-proclaimed apologist for violence and terror against anyone who dares to be a Zionist,” Torres wrote.

“He has openly defended the cold-blooded murder of a young Jewish couple and has lionized their murderer as a `resistance fighter.’ He has made it crystal clear that he holds no moral objection to violence against Zionists — a category in which I figure prominently,” he added.

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One of the protesters outside Torres’ office denounced the lawmaker as “Zionist scum” and described Israel as “terrorists who kill children.”

By Corey Walker, The Algemeiner

Anti-Israel protesters flooded outside the office of US Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) earlier this week, condemning the congressman for his support of the Jewish state, demanding that he resign from office, and making apparent threats against his life.

“Anti-Israel extremists held a protest outside my office, demanding that I resign from office for the thought crime of supporting both the Jewish People and the Jewish State,” Torres posted on X/Twitter.

In a video accompanying his social media post, the activists could be seen waving Palestinian flags and angrily chanting the slogan “It is right to rebel, Ritchie Torres go to hell!” Another participant in the demonstration was recorded beating an effigy of Torres with a pole.

“My enemies clearly want me dead,” Torres wrote.

An activist, standing in front of Torres’ office, shouted through a megaphone that the demonstrators had assembled to “demand that [Torres] resign for his collaboration with the Gaza genocide and the deportations that he invited to the Bronx.”

On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists invaded southern Israel, where they murdered 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 hostages. The Jewish state responded with a defensive military operation aimed at decimating Hamas’s military capabilities and rescuing the hostages.

Anti-Israel activists have largely condemned the Jewish state’s actions as being “genocidal” and a form of “ethnic cleansing.”

Pro-Palestinian advocates have also urged US lawmakers to vote in favor of enacting an “arms embargo” against the Jewish state, arguing that the federal government has been complicit in the wanton “murder” of thousands of Palestinian civilians.

In recent weeks, the Trump administration has ordered sweeping arrests and detainments of non-citizen anti-Israel activists for participating in destructive demonstrations while allegedly supporting Hamas, the US-designated terrorist organization that has ruled Gaza since 2007.

Some of these arrests, particularly of former Columbia University student and permanent resident Mahmoud Khalil, have sparked significant backlash, with critics accusing the White House of undermining free speech rights.

Some critics of Torres allege that the lawmaker’s repeated and consistent condemnation of universities’ handlings of campus antisemitism helped to embolden conservative efforts to crack down on pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

Last year, Torres commended New York University (NYU) for expanding its anti-harassment and non-discrimination policies to protect students who support the existence of Israel.

NYU’s revised hate speech policies state that deploying “code words like ‘Zionist’” do not necessarily shield students from violating the university conduct code.

The congressman also urged the State University of New York System, Cornell University, the City University of New York, and Columbia University to do the same.

One of the protesters outside Torres’ office denounced the lawmaker as “Zionist scum” and described Israel as “terrorists who kill children.”

He stated that Torres has “slandered” activist groups, including Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) as being “pro-Hamas” organizations and accused him of spreading a “baseless accusation” that the group had “advanced knowledge of the events of Oct. 7.”

Shortly before the Oct. 7, 2023, atrocities, after months of silence, an Instagram account belonging to the Columbia University chapter of SJP posted “we’re back!” and instructed followers to “stay tuned.” Many observers have suggested, without further evidence, that the post indicated that the organization possessed prior knowledge of the planned Oct. 7 terrorist attacks.

Torres, a progressive lawmaker from a heavily liberal and Democratic district, has emerged as a stalwart ally of Israel.

Since he arrived in the US Congress, Torres has been highly outspoken against antisemitism, oftentimes criticizing fellow liberals over their alleged unwillingness to combat bigotry against the Jewish community.

Torres has criticized efforts to withhold arms from Israel and has repeatedly called for the immediate release of hostages from Gaza.

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“No Jews, no news,” Torres quipped.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

New York Congressman Ritchie Torres criticized anti-Israel protesters for continuing to focus on Gaza while ignoring the massacre of Alawite minorities by the Syrian government.

“The new regime in Syria is massacring the Alawite minority population, leaving a death toll of more than 1,000. These mass atrocities have been met with deafening silence from all the anti-Israel agitators who spent the last year and a half engaged in human rights theater,” Torres wrote on X.

“No Jews, no news,” he added.

The Syrian government announced it would open an investigation into the killings of Alawites.

The Alawites appealed to Israel to intervene militarily against the new government.

Leaders of the Alawite community, which had strongly backed former president Bashar Assad, penned a letter to Israeli leaders, calling for the IDF to intervene in Syria on their behalf against the new regime.

Alawite leaders sent letters to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, requesting that Israel take military action to protect the Alawite community.

“Save us from the brutal regime, we will receive you with songs and flowers,” the letter reads in part, while urging the Israeli media to “shed light on the massacres” in Latakia.

In the letter, the Alawite leaders lament that after “the fall of the Assad regime and the assumption of power in Syria by an extremist Islamic group,” their community has been targeted by the new regime with acts of “killing, kidnapping, displacement, and intimidation as a method of ruling and domination.”

The letter’s signatories requested that the Israeli military “move its planes and forces to protect us,” that the Israeli navy be deployed off Syria’s Mediterranean coast, and that Israel’s government “raise the issue of crimes against the Alawites at the international level.”

“We say to the Jewish state, we extend our hands to you and will be your best and most loyal friends, so that you can rid us of this extremist Islamic rule that will serve as a place for training and preparing groups from which they will launch their fight against you.”

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When pressed about the publication, Columbia University criticized the students involved and indicated that it would consider administering punishment.

By Corey Walker, The Algemeiner

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) blasted Columbia University over the weekend over their lackadaisical approach to combating antisemitism, excoriating the Ivy League institution for allowing a terrorist-supporting student group to exist on campus.

“Columbia University is so embedded in anti-Israel propaganda that it has a publication entitled, quote, ‘The Columbia Intifada.’ What is needed in our society is a revolution of the responsible against the intifada idiocy of the far-left,” Torres said in a statement on Sunday.

Earlier this month, the prestigious university came under fire after it was revealed that ‘Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine’—a cohort of anti-Israel student activists—distributed a publication titled ‘The Columbia Intifada’ around campus.

Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) reportedly printed 1,000 copies of the publication, which included articles titled “Zionist Peace Means Palestinian Blood,”and “The Myth of the Two-State Solution.”

When pressed about the publication, Columbia University criticized the students involved and indicated that it would consider administering punishment.

“Using the Columbia name for a publication that glorifies violence and makes individuals in our community feel targeted in any way is a breach of our values,” Columbia said in a statement.

“As we have said repeatedly, discrimination and promoting violence or terror is not acceptable and antithetical to what our community stands for. We are investigating this incident through our applicable offices and policies,” the university continued.

Though the publication is not officially recognized by Columbia University, critics argue that it indicates a thriving anti-Israel sentiment on the prestigious campus.

This is not the first time that Torres has lambasted Columbia over their failure to protect Jewish students on campus.

Over the past year, Torres has repeatedly condemned the campus for allowing pro-Palestine students to chant slogans perceived by many to be antisemitic. He has also called Columbia’s anti-Israel professors “pseudo-intellectuals.”

In addition, the congressman has commended New York University (NYU) for expanding its anti-harassment and non-discrimination policies to protect students who support the existence of Israel.

NYU’s new hate speech policies state that deploying “code words like ‘Zionist’” do not necessarily shield students from violating the university conduct policies. He has called on Columbia to implement a similar policy.

In the year following the Hamas terrorist group’s slaughter of roughly 1200 people throughout southern Israel, Columbia has become a hotbed of pro-Palestine protests.

Immediately following the Oct. 7 massacre, a litany of Columbia student groups issued statements expressing approval of the Hamas attacks and assigning blame exclusively to Israel.

A mob of pro-Palestinian protesters held a demonstration in front of the City University of New York Hillel on Tuesday, shouting at Jewish students to get “out of the Middle East” and “go back to Brooklyn.”

Many Columbia campus groups have implemented policies banning self-professed “Zionists” from membership, effectively excluding the majority of Jewish students.

Columbia University student Khymani James publicly stated that Zionists “don’t deserve to live.” The Ivy League university has not confirmed if James has been permanently expelled from the campus.

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Only 33 percent of New Yorkers said that they plan on voting for incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) in 2026, indicating her vulnerability.

By Corey Walker, The Algemeiner

A recent Siena College poll found that Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) holds a higher approval rating among Jewish registered voters in New York State than Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), setting the stage for an expected race for the governor’s mansion in 2026 between the two US lawmakers.

Torres enjoys a 41 percent approval rating among New York Jews, compared to an 8 percent disapproval rating, the poll showed. Comparatively, Lawler, who is Jewish himself, holds a 31 percent approval rating and 24 percent disapproval rating among Jews in the state.

Both Torres and Lawler are widely expected to throw their hat in the ring for the 2026 New York gubernatorial election.

While the Siena College poll found that about half the electorate either didn’t know the lawmakers or didn’t have an opinion of them, only 33 percent of New Yorkers stated that they plan on voting for incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) in 2026, indicating her vulnerability.

Torres, whose district represents large swaths of the Bronx, has been increasingly critical of Hochul, lambasting her for supposedly being a political “insider” who lacks the fortitude to combat corruption within The Empire State.

He has also called Hochul a “hypocrite” for switching her positions on gun rights and congestion pricing.

Moreover, since his arrival in Congress, Torres has been highly outspoken against antisemitism, oftentimes criticizing fellow liberals over their unwillingness to combat bigotry against the Jewish community.

He has relentlessly criticized local universities such as New York University (NYU) and Columbia University for fostering campus environments which condone antisemitic conduct from faculty and students.

He has called on local universities to amend their non-discrimination policies to include “Zionist” students as a protected identity.

Lawler, who represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, has also been floated as a potential contender for the New York governorship.

Lawler slammed Hochul after the governor announced an “inflation check” program, which would send $300 dollars to New Yorkers making up to $150,000 per year and $300 to families making $300,000 per year. T

he lawmaker has also criticized Hochul over her refusal to aggressively tackle surging crime and violence within the state.

“It should come as no surprise that the most incompetent Governor in New York’s history isn’t capable of reading a balance sheet,” Lawler said recently. “But it is sad that Governor Hochul feels the need to lie to New Yorkers about how her political ‘vote-for-me’ checks are being paid for.”

Like Torres, Lawler has positioned himself as a stalwart ally of Israel since entering Congress, oftentimes spearheading bills to combat antisemitism both domestically and abroad.

Lawler has also sponsored legislation to target countries and entities that treat Israel unfairly, such as the “Stand With Israel Act,” which would defund United Nations agencies that “expel, downgrade, suspend, or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel.”

The post Governor’s race preview? Ritchie Torres holds higher approval rating than Mike Lawler among NY Jews: Poll appeared first on World Israel News.

Torres in recent days has said that there is a ‘crisis of governance’ in New York State and New York City.

By Andrew Bernard, JNS

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), one of Israel’s staunchest defenders in Congress, hinted at a run for higher office on Friday by taking aim at New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

The Bronx Democrat said that like U.S. President Joe Biden, Hochul could be on the path to electoral defeat.

“Kathy Hochul is the new Joe Biden,” Torres wrote. “She may be in denial about the depth of her vulnerabilities as a Democratic nominee. A Democratic incumbent who is less popular in New York than Donald Trump is in grave danger of losing to a Republican in 2026–an outcome not seen in 30 years.”

“Waiting until it’s too late gave us a Republican President in 2024 and could give us a Republican governor in 2026,” he added. “Let’s avoid repeating history and avoid sleepwalking toward impending disaster and defeat.”

Torres in recent days has said that there is a “crisis of governance” in New York State and New York City.

“I think part of the story of the election is an indictment of misgovernance in New York state and New York City,” Torres said in an interview on Monday with Spectrum News NY1.

“With few exceptions, nowhere was there a greater swing toward Donald Trump than in New York, which was a vote of no confidence in the leadership of New York state.”

U.S. President Joe Biden carried more than 60% of the vote in New York state in 2020, but in November, Trump narrowed that lead, with Harris winning just 56% of the vote to Trump’s 44%.

The largest swing of any county in New York towards Trump occurred in Torres’s Bronx county, driven by the massive shift towards Republicans among Latino voters.

A poll in September showed that Hochul had just a 34% job approval rating, and in 2022 she defeated then-congressman Lee Zeldin by just 6 percentage points, the worst performance by a Democrat in a statewide race in two decades.

Since taking his seat in Congress in 2021, Torres, 36, has been widely lauded by the Jewish community for his vocal efforts to combat Jew-hatred and his support for Israel in the House.

“I see my freedom as a Black Latino from the Bronx as inextricably bound to the freedom of the Jewish people,” Torres told pro-Israel rally-goers after he was awarded the Jewish Federations of North America’s Courageous Leadership Award earlier this month.

Though Torres has not directly criticized New York City Mayor Eric Adams by name in the way that he has called out Hochul, Torres could also make a run for Gracie Mansion in the 2025 election as Adams fights federal bribery charges.

A spokesman for Torres told JNS that “the congressman has yet to make a final decision regarding his future” as to whether he planned to announce a run for mayor or governor.

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Congressman Ritchie Torres proposes bill which would condition federal funding for universities on their monitoring and taking steps to curb antisemitism on campus.

The post WATCH: Will colleges which fail to combat antisemitism lose federal funding? appeared first on World Israel News.

Congressman Ritchie Torres questioned why people are undermining Israel’s self-defense efforts when the real aggressor, Hezbollah, which has been firing rockets daily at Israeli communities, should be the one to blame.

Israel has a right to defend itself against Hezbollah, which has been firing more than 8,000 rockets against Israel since October 7th.

The selective outrage is itself an outrage. pic.twitter.com/QM1uPFkIYb

— Rep. Ritchie Torres (@RepRitchie) September 22, 2024

The post WATCH: Ritchie Torres – ‘The selective outrage is itself an outrage’ appeared first on World Israel News.

Torres: ‘When antisemites reveal their antisemitism by calling for a genocide against Jews, believe them.’

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

New York Democratic Congressman Ritchie Torres condemned the virulent anti-Israel protests in Washington DC during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit.

Torres shared a photo of an anti-Israel protester holding up a sign showing a mushroom cloud that said, “Allah is gathering all of the Zionists for a Final Solution.”

Torres posted on X, “The Free Palestine movement is not about freeing Palestinians. It is about pursuing a ‘final solution’ against the world’s only Jewish State, which is home to half of the world’s Jewish population.”

He added, “When antisemites reveal their antisemitism by calling for a genocide against Jews, believe them.”

During demonstration, protesters attempted to storm the Capitol, burned US flags and an effigy of Netanyahu and defaced public monuments.

Other Democratic politicians condemned the demonstrations, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Vice President and Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

Harris called the anti-Israel protests “despicable” and “unpatriotic.”

She issued a statement, “I condemn any individuals associating with the brutal terrorist organization Hamas, which has vowed to annihilate the State of Israel and kill Jews. Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric is abhorrent and we must not tolerate it in our nation.”

Harris’s statement continued, “I condemn the burning of the American flag. That flag is a symbol of our highest ideals as a nation and represents the promise of America. It should never be desecrated in that way.”

She concluded, “I support the right to peacefully protest, but let’s be clear: Antisemitism, hate and violence of any kind have no place in our nation.”

Chuck Schumer said, “Hamas is a terrorist organization. Exalting them and burning the American flag is disgraceful and wrong, and defacing public property is illegal. Hateful and antisemitic messages and threats against Jews have no place in America and must be universally condemned.”

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