Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio officially endorsed Michael Blake in the Democratic primary mounted against Rep. Ritchie Torres. Blake is being advised by progressive activist Nomiki Konst, with whom de Blasio previously had a personal relationship.
In his statement, de Blasio accused Torres of being part of the entrenched political establishment, and portrayed Blake as a grassroots alternative rooted in The Bronx, committed to tackling affordability and local priorities. The announcement signals a united front among key progressive players including de Blasio, Blake and mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, whom Blake supports and Torres declined to endorse.
With the endorsement, de Blasio breaks from his earlier criticisms of Blake’s past comments about his presidential ambitions. The move has already stirred reactions in political circles, with Torres’ team criticizing Blake’s candidacy as opportunistic and the endorsement as an attempt to merge conflicting interests into one alliance.
The endorsement underscores shifting alliances in New York politics ahead of next year’s primary, as progressive power brokers and city-based activists mobilize around one challenger in a high-stakes race.