Surprise, surprise.
Bronx Rep. Richie Torres confirmed Monday that he is considering a run for New York governor, while continuing his onslaught of attacks against fellow Democrat Kathy Hochul.
In a series of appearances, Torres said he would begin a “listening tour” across the Empire State before making a decision about a possible run for governor and the Democratic primary against Hochul in mid-2025.
But the Bronx councilman who accused Eric Adams of “complicity” in last week's murder of three innocent people by serial stabber Ramon Rivera told the Post he would not rule out running for New York mayor. spoke.
“I was thinking of running for governor (rather than mayor), but nothing would take me away from that plan,” he said at a rally to oppose Hochul's proposed expansion of the Cross Bronx Expressway. Ta.
Torres argued that “failures of governance” in both the city and state led to President-elect Donald Trump's shock victory in the 2024 election in deep-blue New York, calling for new leadership. He said it shows.
But Torres primarily focused on attacking Hochul, repeatedly accusing him of being the “new Joe Biden,” an unpopular leader who is dooming New Yorkers and Democrats.
During an interview with the Bronx Rally and NY1, he launched into scathing criticism of Hochul's leadership. He said New Yorkers have seen their quality of life, safety and affordability decline and feel the governor has failed.
“America is experiencing a leadership crisis, but nowhere is it more acute than in New York City and New York State under the failed administration of Kathy Hochul,” he told NY1.
“She means well, but she's incompetent,” he said in the Bronx. “Her response to congestion pricing has been ineffective and has infuriated both proponents and opponents of congestion pricing. I have lost confidence and believe that Donald Trump's rise in New York is due to I blame the failure of governance in New York State and New York City.
“No state tilted more heavily toward Donald Trump than New York.”
The prospect of Mr. Torres running for governor has caused panic within Mr. Hochul's team, with sources saying they fear the congressman will win over his base of moderate Democrats. It is said that there is
After the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, Torres continued to speak unapologetic about his positions on security issues, even as other leftists harshly criticized the war's toll on civilians killed in Gaza. His pro-Israel stance has irritated many progressive Democrats.
Democratic consultant Neil Kwatra said Torres would be a “formidable” candidate for any position.
“He is one of the smartest, most strategic and thoughtful Democrats of his generation,” Kwatra told the Post on Monday. “He does the work, he builds relationships. He has a clear understanding of what the government should do. He's a work horse, not a work horse. We need a work horse, not a show horse. is.”
Torres also blamed both the Adams and Hochul administrations for the “multiple failures” that led to Rivera's early release, even though he assaulted a correctional officer during his last sentence. repeated the claim.
“Not only did the state and city not punish him for assaulting a correctional officer, the city released him early on grounds of good behavior,” he said. “And the end result was three New Yorkers stabbed to death. So if he hadn't been released early and had served his sentence, these three New Yorkers who were murdered would be alive today. That’s the price New Yorkers pay when they fail.”
Adams and Hochul's campaigns did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
— Additional reporting by Craig McCarthy
