Embedded Files
The 2020 Primary in New York's 15th Congressional district, a clown-car primary uppon the retirement of Longtime Puerto Rican Representative José Serrano resulted in Gay Afro-Boricua Richie Torres being elected to succeed Serrano.
Conducted under the specter of the COVID-19 Pandemic the early front-runner in this race was conservative anti-LGBTQ Democrat Rubén Díaz Sr, whom before the campaign came under pressure from the city council for saying that body was "controlled by the homosexual community"
This marked Torres' win as a vindicating one, as when he first ran for office in the Bronx he had to deal with the Homophobic political culture that Díaz Sr had cultivated—in addition to the fact that as a result of the clown-car nature of the primary, Díaz sr had an actuall chance to win.
Also running were African American State Rep Michael A. Blake, Progressive AOC endorsed Samelys Lopez, Former City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito among others.
Here, Torres won thanks to his strength with all hispanic groups in the districts, wining the Puerto Rican Community in the East Bronx by the strongest margins, followed by the South Bronx as well as the Dominicans in the West Bronx
It should be noted, though, that home neighboorhood effects from other candidates narrowed his margin in the later two areas.
By contrast, Torres lost in the District's African-American community—Losing the assembly districrt represented by Michael Blake by 6%.
Torres would go on to win the seat in the General Election by 78%, underperforming Clinton (2016) and Jose Serrano (2016/2018) because of the democratic collapse among Latinos seen in 2016.
2020 Dem Primary (No Lables)
2020 General Election
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse