Congressman Ritchie Torres is sounding the alarm on the 2026 New York gubernatorial race, warning that the unpopular Governor Kathy Hochul risks handing the office to the Republicans should she seek re-election.
Torres’ criticism of Hochul adds fuel to speculation that the South Bronx Democrat is mulling a run for statewide office.
A Repeat of 2024 in 2026?
In a post on X, Torres described Hochul as “the new Joe Biden.” He said that the governor “may be in denial about the depth of her vulnerabilities as a Democratic nominee.”
Some leading Democrats, including former House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi, argue that President Biden stayed in the 2024 presidential race for too long, closing the opportunity for a robust primary battle and paving the way for a Donald Trump win in November.
Torres warned Hochul risks making a similar mistake, stating: “A Democratic incumbent who is less popular in New York than Donald Trump is in grave danger of losing to a Republican in 2026.”
The last Republican to win a New York governor’s race was George Pataki in 2002. He served three consecutive terms from 1995 to 2007. Since 1923, New York has had 10 Democratic governors and four Republicans.
Hochul Is Unpopular
Hochul, who took over as governor in 2021 after Andrew Cuomo resigned amid sexual misconduct accusations, won her first election for the office in 2022. But her victory highlighted not just her own vulnerabilities, but also those of Democrats in what has long been a reliably blue state.
In the primary race, Hochul handily defeated Rep. Tom Suozzi from Long Island and Jumaane Williams, now the New York City Public Advocate. But in the general election, she beat the Republican Lee Zeldin, then a congressman from suburban Suffolk County, by less than seven points — the closest margin in a gubernatorial race in 28 years.
Since then, Hochul’s popularity has only plummeted. Her favorability rating is a dismal 36 percent, according to a Siena College poll conducted in October. Her job approval rating is slightly higher at 41 percent.
A majority of New Yorkers believe the state is headed in the wrong direction, with crime, the migrant crisis, affordable housing, and other cost of living issues ranking as top concerns.
Voters also don’t have much confidence in Hochul’s leadership, according to an earlier Siena College poll.
The Democrats Are Vulnerable In NY
Since 2022, the Republicans have only made greater gains statewide. In November, Trump achieved the best performance for a Republican since George H.W. Bush in 1988, winning 43 percent of the vote statewide.
He not only made major gains with Asians, Hispanics, and Orthodox Jews in New York City, but he also won the suburbs of Nassau and Suffolk counties. The two areas form the region of Long Island, home to a population of more than 8 million.
Hochul leads by around 10 points in surveys of a hypothetical rematch with Zeldin, recently picked by President-elect Trump to run the Environmental Protection Agency. Other potential Republican opponents include Rep. Mike Lawler from Rockland County.
Hochul’s recently revived congestion pricing for commuters to Manhattan could also hurt her re-election prospects. The program is deeply unpopular in the New York City borough of Staten Island, a Republican stronghold, and the city’s suburbs, which have seen a red wave since 2022.
Approximately 70 percent of those surveyed in the summer by Siena College on Long Island say the congestion pricing plan should be “permanently scrapped.”
Torres Ambitions Outweigh Experience
Torres appears to be testing the waters for a statewide run. In May, he launched a new X account, “RitchieTorresNY.”
While Torres’ diagnosis of the problem may be correct, some may argue he’s not the solution.
Torres could resonate with Hispanic voters, more centrist Democrats, and the state’s largest Jewish population. He’s the top congressional recipient of funding from pro-Israel groups and campaigned with Laura Gillen, who successfully defeated Republican incumbent Anthony D’Esposito in the suburban 4th Congressional district — an area home to a large Orthodox Jewish population.
But Torres has come out in favor of congestion pricing. That will hurt him with suburban voters and potentially even with voters in his home borough of the Bronx, which could see a surge in traffic from drivers seeking toll-free entry into Manhattan.
Better Options
The Democrats have a deep bench for a statewide run. That includes Attorney General Letitia James and Suozzi, who’s won two elections in Nassau County this year despite its red wave.
Suozzi has smartly been able to pivot to the center while courting Asian and other immigrant communities in his increasingly diverse district. He’s also served as county executive in Nassau.
The 36-year-old Torres has no executive experience. He served as a New York City councilman for seven years before being elected to Congress in 2021. He’s also been combative with progressives — in particular, those who have spoken out against Israel’s mass killings of Palestinians.
If Torres chooses to run for governor, he will struggle in a primary packed with less divisive, more experienced Democrats. That, however, isn’t much of a disincentive for an ambitious politician. It’s other people’s money, after all.
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