Mamdani's biggest DC defender is… Ritchie Torres?

Politico

15-07-2025

HIS HATER BECAME HIS WAITER: Israel-supporting, defund-the-police-decryin' and Cuomo-primary-allignin' Rep. Ritchie Torres seems to be going out of his way to defend Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani.
When President Donald Trump threatened to arrest Mamdani, Torres called it 'disgraceful.'
When more Republicans attacked Mamdani, he slammed them as Islamophobic on MSNBC.
And when the controversy emerged around Mamdani identifying as African American on his college application, Torres defended him.
'I have had political opponents question the authenticity of Afro-Latino identity, and question my blackness,' he told The New York Times. 'And I deeply, deeply resent it. It makes my blood boil.'
On Thursday, Torres even introduced a bill to censure a Tennessee House Republican who called for Mamdani's deportation.
Those who know the Bronx's staunchest supporter of Israel may be surprised at his increasing bid to shield Mamdani from the onslaught of GOP attacks.
But he is just the latest backer of Cuomo's primary bid who has sought to distance himself from the former governor — and even warm up to the lefty nominee.
Today, Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn — who backed Mayor Eric Adams, then endorsed Cuomo, and now backs Mamdani — appeared in a cheery video with Mamdani in which the pair toured Brooklyn's Little Haiti and asked voters to put Mamdani on their general election ballots.
Torres still has not made an endorsement in the general election, but he made clear his Cuomo endorsement 'only applies to the Democratic primary' and had a 'mutually respectful' phone call with Mamdani.
His team would not reveal to Playbook much about the conversation, beyond that Torres expressed he's committed to having a working relationship.
Torres also faces the prospect of defending a challenge to his own seat from former Bronx electeds. Long-shot mayoral candidate and Mamdani-ally Michael Blake has recently taken to attacking Torres on social media since the primary, and pro-Trump pol Ruben Diaz Sr. said he might vie for Torres' post.
On Monday, Torres was spotted smiling ear to ear in a group photo with Mamdani. His team did not comment on whether the two interacted at all during that event, either.
'If Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans are despicably demanding the 'deportation' and 'denaturalization' of a Democratic nominee — simply because he is a Muslim American — then I will speak out forcefully against their bigotry, and Democrats across the ideological spectrum should do the same,' Torres told Playbook in a statement. 'We must stand up and speak out against all forms of bigotry with moral clarity and consistency.' — Jason Beeferman
FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
FLASH WARNING: The treacherous flash flood on Monday night and high temperatures expected later this week are laying bare the massive climate and infrastructure challenges facing New York City.
As the city saw its second-wettest hour in history — and videos of rainwater spewing into subway stations went viral — Mamdani and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams were in agreement that the sewer systems of yesteryear were not meant to handle the storms of today.
Mamdani honed in on the issue Monday night on X.
'Earlier tonight, NYC was drenched by more than 2' of rain in a single hour, flooding streets, basements and subways,' the Democratic nominee for mayor posted, thanking city workers and emergency responders. 'We must upgrade our infrastructure for this new climate reality.'
Adams, who's running as an independent against Mamdani in the general election, held a news conference Tuesday.
'At the heart of what we are facing, the rulebook, things have changed drastically,' the mayor said on a conference call with reporters. 'Second highest rainfall in Central Park, not due to a Category 5 hurricane or a tropical storm. … It really must resonate: Our sewer system is not built to manage this much water at a short period of time.'
The deep investment and long-term planning necessary to address the climate crisis will play a key role in the race for mayor — even as affordability and public safety remain the top issues for voters. Already, how to implement Local Law 97, intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the largest buildings, has come into sharper focus. Mamdani has signaled he would enforce the law more robustly, The New York Times reported. — Emily Ngo with Amira McKee
TRUMP SPEAKS: Much of the primary between Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo revolved around who could better stand up to President Donald Trump as mayor of New York City.
Trump said today outside the White House that he believes the former governor has a 'good shot' at defeating Mamdani, a democratic socialist who's been a top foil for Republicans.
'I think he should stay. I think he has a shot,' the president said when asked about Cuomo announcing he'll run in the general election as an independent after losing the Democratic primary.
Trump, who has a good working relationship with Eric Adams, would not say which candidate he prefers.
But he said of Cuomo, 'He's got to run a tough campaign. You know he's running against a communist; I would think he has a good shot at winning.'
Mamdani is not a communist. Updated city Board of Elections results today showed he defeated Cuomo in the primary by 12.8 percentage points. — Emily Ngo
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Democratic House candidate Blake Gendebien, who seeks the North County seat held by Rep. Elise Stefanik, will report nearly $2 million cash on hand in his federal campaign finance filing today.
It's a massive haul for a relatively unknown Democratic challenger in a deep-red district.
But Stefanik, the high-profile Republican weighing a bid for governor, has a monster campaign war chest of her own at $10 million, according to her filing.
Gendebien, a dairy farmer, raised $212,000 in the past three months — significantly less than the $3 million he pulled in the first quarter. — Emily Ngo
From the Capitol
STEFANIK SLAMS CUNY: Rep. Elise Stefanik called on City University of New York Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez to step down after criticizing him for failing to adequately tackle campus antisemitism.
Stefanik — who has built a reputation for grilling college presidents over the issue — assailed Matos Rodríguez throughout a three-hour plus congressional hearing for allegedly failing to discipline faculty and employees with ties to pro-Palestinian activism. She urged Gov. Kathy Hochul to push the chancellor to resign, as the Republican lawmaker eyes a gubernatorial bid.
'I am calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul — the worst governor in America who has bent the knee to the antisemites in her party — to call on Chancellor Rodriguez to resign,' Stefanik told reporters following the hearing. 'She needs to make that call today.'
Matos Rodríguez defended his work with Jewish organizations.
'Anybody who behaves in any way that is antisemitic, that sponsors violence against members of the Jewish community or any community discriminated [against] or harassed will be investigated and held accountable based on our rules,' he said. — Madina Touré and Bianca Quilantan
IN OTHER NEWS
— JESSICA VS. JESSICA: Marking the first major lefty primary challenge in the wake of Mamdani's win, Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas filed to run for state Sen. Jessica Ramos' seat. (City & State)
— MAMDANI COURTS CONGRESS: On Wednesday, Mamdani plans to rub elbows in Washington with key Democrats, some of whom have been hesitant to endorse the Democratic nominee. (THE CITY)
— ADAMS DENIED MATCHING FUNDS: The former mayor's struggles with the New York City Campaign Finance Board continue. (The New York Times)
Missed this morning's New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.