New York City Council member Ritchie Torres has made history by winning his race to become the first openly gay, Afro-Latino elected candidate to Congress. In the election held on Tuesday in heavily Democratic district, Torres jostled against 12 Democratic candidates in the primary. He defeated his Republican counterpart, Patrick Delices by a wide margin.
The congressman-elect from the South Bronx said, “It is the honor of a lifetime to represent a borough filled with essential workers who risked their lives so that New York City could live. My pledge to the district is simple: I will fight for you. The Bronx is my home, it is what made me who I am, and it is what I will fight for in Congress.”
Torres said he would join the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), according to The Hills.
“His victory is a testament to the Hispanic Caucus’ commitment to expanding our Caucus with diverse voices by investing in candidates like Ritchie Torres, who is soon to be the first openly LGBTQ+ Afro- Latino Member of Congress,” U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas, a California Democrat, said.
