Bill de Blasio is lending a hand to his former acquaintance Nomiki Const, backing his client Michael Blake in his efforts to unseat Representative Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.).
Const, a 41-year-old progressive activist who faced setbacks due to his affair with South Tucson Mayor Roxanna Valenzuela, is serving as a strategist and spokesperson for Blake’s campaign as he prepares to challenge Torres in the upcoming June Democratic primary.
At 64, de Blasio, who is allied with Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani, claims that Torres, the current Bronx congressman, is out of touch with the party’s direction.
“New Yorkers—and really, all Americans—are weary of the political elite. They want politicians who care about their communities, not just donors and power brokers,” de Blasio stated in a press release from Blake’s campaign.
He emphasized that “Michael Blake is deeply rooted in the Bronx and has a solid plan to tackle the cost of living and affordability issues facing local residents.”
Torres, known for his strong support of Israel, notably did not endorse Mamdani in the recent general election after Mamdani defeated former governor Andrew Cuomo. In fact, Torres backed Cuomo during the primary.
In the past, de Blasio had several public clashes with Cuomo during his tenure as mayor. He remarked that Torres “vehemently” supports the incumbent’s campaign for a third term, despite ongoing allegations of misconduct against Cuomo.
“Blake was an early supporter of Mamdani when Richie Torres chose not to be,” de Blasio’s message continued, highlighting that Blake would serve as a valuable ally at various levels of government, creating real solutions for the Bronx.
Cuomo resigned in 2021 following accusations of sexual harassment, which he denies.
Blake, a former council member from the Bronx, praised de Blasio’s commitment to affordability during his mayoral term.
“Mayor de Blasio and I stood firmly behind Mayor-elect Mamdani, who shares our vision, unlike Ritchie Torres, who seems focused on his own interests,” Blake remarked.
Both he and other left-leaning activists have criticized Torres for his stance on Israel and relations with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
However, during his mayoral tenure, de Blasio had been an outspoken supporter of Israel and defended AIPAC in 2019, arguing against claims from progressive factions that the group was too conservative.
Both de Blasio and Const refrained from commenting about their discussions regarding support for Blake.
Interestingly, Blake and de Blasio haven’t always seen eye to eye.
Blake once belittled de Blasio’s brief and unsuccessful run for presidency, stating bluntly, “No, he’s not qualified to run for president. He shouldn’t run for president.”
Meanwhile, Torres has frequently criticized de Blasio from his position on the City Council and during his role as chair of the Oversight and Investigations Committee.
Speaking of Blake’s intentions, a spokesperson for Torres’s campaign argued, “Michael Blake isn’t genuinely interested in the Bronx; he’s merely using it as a stepping stone for his own political ambitions. History shows he will likely lose again.”
“There’s a reason Bronx voters trust Richie Torres. He’s their advocate in Congress, addressing public housing and affordability while also standing up to Trump, which is why he’ll be victorious again next year.”
