Ritchie Torres

Ritchie Torres
Member of the New York City Council
from the 15th district
Assumed office
January 1, 2014
Preceded by Joel Rivera
Personal details
Born (1988-03-12) March 12, 1988
New York City, New York, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Education New York University
Website Government website

Ritchie Torres (born March 12, 1988) is the Council member for the 15th District of the New York City Council. He is a Democrat. The district includes Allerton, Belmont, Bronx Park, Claremont Village, Crotona Park, Fordham, Mount Eden, Mount Hope, Norwood, Parkchester, Tremont, Van Nest, West Farms and Williamsbridge in The Bronx.[1]

Torres is the first openly gay candidate to be elected to legislative office in The Bronx, and the youngest member of the city council. Currently, he serves as the chair of the Committee on Public Housing, and is a deputy Majority Leader.

Life and career

Torres was raised by his mother in a public housing project in the Throggs Neck neighborhood of the East Bronx, where he was frequently hospitalized for asthma as a result of the mold growing in his apartment.[2] He attended Herbert H. Lehman High School, served in the inaugural class of the Coro New York Exploring Leadership Program, and later worked as an intern in the offices of the Mayor and Attorney General.[1][3]

Torres enrolled at New York University but dropped out at the beginning of his sophomore year, suffering from severe depression.[3] As he recovered, Torres resumed working for council member James Vacca, eventually becoming Vacca's housing director.[3] In that role, Torres conducted site inspections and document conditions, ensuring critical housing issues were promptly and adequately addressed.[1][4]

New York City Council

When he won the Democratic Party nomination for New York City Council, Torres became the first openly gay political candidate in The Bronx to win the Democratic Party nomination, and is the first openly gay public official in The Bronx.[5][6]

Upon his election, Torres requested the chairmanship of the Council's Committee on Public Housing, tasked with overseeing the New York City Housing Authority.[3] Torres also serves as a Deputy Leader of the City Council, making him the only freshman Council Member to hold a leadership position.[1]

Torres has stated that he is "intent on advancing politically," and has been floated as a future candidate for Mayor.[7]

Election history
Location Year Election Results
NYC Council
District 15		 2013 Democratic Primary √ Ritchie Torres 36.12%
Joel Rivera 21.39%
Cynthia Thompkins 20.97%
Albert Alvarez 8.99%
Raquel E. Batista 7.42%
Joel M. Bauza 5.11%
NYC Council
District 15		 2013 General √ Ritchie Torres (D) 91.15%
Joel Rivera (R) 7.19%
Joel M. Bauza (Conservative) 1.46%

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Biography". council.ny.gov. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  2. ↑ Ross, Winston. "Ritchie Torres: Gay, Hispanic and Powerful". newsweek.com. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Gonnerman, Jennifer. "FIghting for the Poor Under Trump". newyorker.com. The New Yorker. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  4. ↑ "Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. endorses Ritchie Torres for City Council seat". NY Daily News. August 6, 2013. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Riding Widespread Institutional Support, Torres and Cohen Breeze to Primary Wins". Norwood News. September 11, 2013. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Ritchie Torres, Bronx City Council Race Frontrunner, Among 3 Openly Gay Candidates In Historic Election". Huffingtonpost.com. June 13, 2013. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  7. ↑ Barkan, Ross. "Could This 27-Year-Old Councilman Be the Mayor of New York One Day?". observer.com. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
Political offices
Preceded by
Joel Rivera		 New York City Council, 15th District
2014–present		 Incumbent
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