Former New York Assemblyman Michael Blake has launched a Democratic primary challenge against U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres, criticizing Torres’s pro-Israel alignment and asserting he is more focused on lobbying interests than constituents. Blake accused Torres of siding with a major pro-Israel organization and ignoring Bronx voters.
The criticism comes as Blake’s own social media history surfaced, showing posts from 2014-2017 celebrating his attendance at pro-Israel events—many of which were later removed. Critics in the Jewish community called the deletions opportunistic and questioned Blake’s authenticity as a candidate.
Torres’s campaign dismissed the attack as political grandstanding, pointing to his record on housing and affordability in the Bronx. Blake counters that his campaign’s emphasis on economic issues and divergent foreign-policy views mark a clear contrast ahead of next year’s primary.