U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres hints at run for New York governor critiques Hochul's leadership

In the real world, if you can’t get the job done, you get fired.”

U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres

U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, who has been involved in Bronx politics for over a decade and represents a majority of the borough, including the greater Riverdale area, hinted on Friday, Nov. 22, he may run for governor of New York in the near future.

Torres spoke with several news outlets earlier this week regarding his possible run for governor, including an interview with Spectrum News on Monday, Nov. 25, where he said he will not confirm his decision to run until the middle of next year.

He added there is currently a “leadership crisis” in the country, saying nowhere is it more evident and profound than in New York City and New York State, under “the failed governance of NYS Governor Kathy Hochul.”

Torres then took X, formerly known as Twitter on Friday, Nov. 22, calling out Hochul and referring to her as, “the new Joe Biden,” criticizing the current governor for taking different stances on the city’s proposed congestion pricing system and fare evasion which is costing the MTA billions of dollars. He also addressed public safety, citing the city and state are as unsafe as they’ve been in recent history.

“How much more evidence of ineffectiveness do we need before we conclude that she cannot get the job done,” Torres rhetorically asked of Hochul on Spectrum News. “In the real world, if you can’t get the job done, you get fired.”

He added, Hochul is “well-intentioned — but ineffective.”

“She may be in denial about the depth of her vulnerabilities as a Democratic nominee,” Torres continued in his X post. 

He said for this past presidential election, where Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris to secure his second presidential nomination in the last three terms, no state saw a greater swing toward Donald Trump than New York, which he called “an indictment of state and local leadership.”

“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,” Torres also said in his Friday morning X post.

Torres continued on his leadership criticisms, referencing the recent stabbing spree in Manhattan on Monday, Nov. 18, resulting in three deaths across Manhattan and which Roman Rivera has been charged.

Rivera, who was imprisoned at Rikers Island for most of this year, was released on good behavior, even though he had assaulted a law enforcement officer before his incarceration.

 Following his arrest, Rivera confessed to the stabbings.

“Waiting until it was too late gave us (the country) a Republican president in 2024 and could give us (the state) a Republican Governor in 2026,” Torres added in his X . “Let’s avoid repeating history and sleepwalking toward impending disaster and defeat.”

Torres concluded his Friday morning social media post with, “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Torres said he will be conducting a listening tour all over the state in December and January before he makes his decision to run for governor, which he will officially decide in mid 2025.

Torres began his political career working as an intern for the Mayor of the City of New York as well as the New York State Attorney General before serving as Councilman for the city’s 15th Council District from 2014 to 2020, succeeding Joel Rivera and becoming the first openly gay politician in the borough.

After winning the general election for Congressman in November 2020, Torres assumed office at the start of the year in 2021.

Torres was unable to provide comment to The Press at time of print.