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Rep. Ritchie Torres, once a harsh critic of Gov. Hochul, changes his tune
By
Jon Campbell
Published Aug 18, 2025
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Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul
By
Jon Campbell
Published Aug 18, 2025
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Rep. Ritchie Torres had been one of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s harshest critics.
In November, the Democrat from the South Bronx called Hochul the biggest hypocrite in New York politics. In December, he criticized her for “gaslighting” New Yorkers. In February, he called her an “accidental governor.”
And at a rally Monday in his South Bronx district, Torres said he had it all wrong.
“ Governor, I want you to know we stand with you,” he said from the lectern as Hochul watched from the front row. “The Bronx stands with Gov. Hochul. Gov. Hochul stands with the Bronx.”
Hochul and Torres made a point of exchanging niceties Monday at Lincoln Hospital, where the Democrats headlined a rally against federal health care cuts included in the wide-ranging tax-and-spending bill President Donald Trump signed into law last month.
It was a very public burying-of-the-hatchet between the two Democratic moderates, bolstering Hochul’s political standing in the Bronx ahead of the 2026 governor’s race and further highlighting how socialist Zohran Mamdani’s win in June’s New York City Democratic mayoral primary changed the political landscape.
Torres had racked up headlines by publicly challenging Hochul on everything from crime rates to home health care changes to the governor’s past support from the National Rifle Association. He went as far as comparing Hochul’s decision to seek reelection to that of former President Joe Biden, whose reelection bid was largely seen as dooming the Democratic party in 2024.
Torres backed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary.
But Torres changed his tune after Mamdani’s big win in June, dropping his own months-long flirtation with a gubernatorial run. Not long after, Torres, a staunch advocate for Israel, also began speaking out against famine in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Mamdani has been heavily critical of Israel’s actions in the war.
On Monday, Torres and Hochul repeatedly made clear they are now playing nice.
“ You are so blessed to have represent you in the powerful halls of Washington in Congress, your congressman, Richie Torres,” Hochul told the South Bronx crowd.
Speaking to reporters after the rally, Torres said Hochul has been effective at “resisting” Trump’s agenda.
”There might have been moments when I've underestimated the governor,” Torres said. “My message to Donald Trump is you underestimate Gov. Hochul at your own peril.”
While Hochul won’t be facing Torres in the upcoming June primary, she still has an intraparty challenger.
Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado — whom Hochul hand-picked for the role in 2022 before they had a falling out last year — is running in the Democratic race.
Rep. Elise Stefanik, a North Country Republican, is weighing a bid for the GOP nod.
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Jon Campbell
Jon Campbell covers the New York State Capitol for WNYC and Gothamist. Prior to that, he covered the Capitol for more than a decade for the USA TODAY Network. He has twice earned the Walter T. Brown Memorial Award, an honor given annually by the Legislative Correspondents Association alumni for outstanding state government coverage. Jon grew up in the Buffalo area and graduated from the University at Albany. Got a tip? Email Jon at [email protected] or Signal at JonCampbellNY.90.
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