Ritchie Torres is a barrier-breaking legislator: the first openly gay Afro-Latino member of Congress and a former New York City Council member who was elected at age 25.
He represents New York’s 15th District, which covers the South Bronx. It is famously the poorest congressional district in the United States, yet home to iconic landmarks like Yankee Stadium and the Bronx Zoo.
A member of the Financial Services Committee and the Select Committee on China, Torres has carved out a unique political lane: he is a progressive on domestic economic issues (housing, child poverty) but a staunch pro-Israel moderate on foreign policy, often clashing with the "Squad" on the left.
His legislative focus is deeply personal, stemming from his upbringing in public housing (NYCHA). He champions fire safety (following the Twin Parks tragedy), mental health reform, and regulatory clarity for cryptocurrency.
"He grew up in public housing with mold and without heat. Now, Ritchie Torres uses his seat at the financial table to fight for the Bronx families who are still living that reality."
Ritchie Torres: The Pragmatic Progressive from the Bronx
Representative Ritchie Torres is a study in resilience. Raised by a single mother in the Throggs Neck Houses in the Bronx, he grew up surrounded by mold, lead paint, and unreliable heat. That lived experience didn't just shape his politics; it is his politics. He dropped out of NYU to work in housing advocacy and, at age 25, became the youngest elected official in New York City. In 2020, he made history again, becoming the first openly gay Afro-Latino elected to Congress.
In Washington, Torres defies easy categorization. While he represents a deep-blue district, he often breaks with the progressive left. He is an unapologetic supporter of Israel, arguing that one can support Palestinian dignity without abandoning the Jewish state—a stance that has made him a lightning rod in Democratic politics. Domestically, he is a "bread and butter" liberal. He fights relentlessly for NYCHA (New York City Housing Authority) funding, viewing public housing not as a failure, but as a lifeline that needs saving.
Torres sits on the Financial Services Committee, where he has become a surprising voice on cryptocurrency. Unlike many skeptics in his party, he advocates for a regulated but flourishing crypto market, arguing that it could offer financial inclusion for the unbanked populations in the Bronx. He is also a member of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party, where he focuses on supply chain independence and national security. Whether he is grilling CEOs about lithium-ion battery fires or advocating for the Child Tax Credit, Torres governs with the intensity of someone who knows exactly what it feels like to be left behind by the system.
District Context: New York 15th (U.S. Census Data)
The South Bronx: This is the smallest congressional district geographically but one of the most densely populated. It covers neighborhoods like Mott Haven, Hunts Point, Fordham, and Belmont (Arthur Avenue/Little Italy).
Population: ~754,000 (2024 Est.)
Demographics: A "majority-minority" district. It is ~53% Hispanic/Latino (heavily Puerto Rican and Dominican) and ~31% Black/African American.
Economic Reality:
Poverty: Historically the poorest congressional district in the nation, with a median household income significantly lower than the national average.
Housing: A massive concentration of public housing developments. NYCHA is the landlord for a significant portion of the constituency.
Food Insecurity: The district has some of the highest rates of food stamp (SNAP) usage in the country.
Landmarks: Yankee Stadium, the Bronx Zoo, and the New York Botanical Garden.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau & Census Repo...
