Rep. Ritchie Torres Wins NY-15 Primary Over Michael Blake by Wide Margin
A moderate Democrat's primary victory in one of New York's poorest congressional districts signals that progressive endorsements from mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani did not translate uniformly...
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), representing New York's 15th Congressional District in the south and west Bronx, defeated primary challenger Michael Blake in the June 2026 Democratic primary, according to results reported by the New York Post on June 26, 2026. The 15th District is among the lowest-income congressional districts in the United States, according to U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data. Blake had received support from New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and affiliated progressive organizations including the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), according to the same New York Post report.
Torres, first elected to the seat in 2020, has represented the district's predominantly working-class and minority communities. His voting record on Israel-related legislation places him among Democratic members who have not supported restrictions on U.S. military assistance to Israel; the specific roll call votes are available in the Congressional Record via congress.gov. Blake, a former New York State Assembly member representing parts of the Bronx, ran on a platform aligned with the DSA's policy positions, according to his publicly available campaign materials.
Mamdani-backed progressive candidates did prevail in at least three other New York City Democratic primaries this cycle, according to the New York Post report, in districts described as covering parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The divergent outcomes across the city's districts illustrate varying primary electorates by geography and income level, though precinct-level vote totals — which would allow precise margin calculation — are expected to be certified by the New York City Board of Elections and made public in the weeks following the primary.
The 15th District primary result has direct implications for the general election. New York's 15th is considered a safe Democratic seat based on Cook Political Report ratings; the Republican nominee, if any, and their FEC filing information would be publicly available at fec.gov. Torres's campaign finance disclosures, including all donors and expenditures for the 2026 cycle, are filed with the Federal Election Commission and accessible at fec.gov under committee ID records tied to his authorized campaign committee.
What remains unknown at publication time is the certified final vote margin between Torres and Blake, the total number of ballots cast, and the full itemized campaign finance totals for both candidates in the final weeks of the race. The New York City Board of Elections will publish certified results, and the FEC will reflect any outstanding filing updates after the standard post-primary reporting deadline.