In what looks like a political pivot, Rep. Ritchie Torres softened his stance on Gov. Kathy Hochul during a rally in the South Bronx. At the event, which aimed to decry federal health care cuts, Torres made amends, publicly showing his support for Hochul. According to Gothamist, Torres essentially retracted previous criticisms, saying, "Governor, I want you to know we stand with you. The Bronx stands with Gov. Hochul. Gov. Hochul stands with the Bronx."
Before this unexpected turnaround, Rep. Torres torched Gov. Hochul with various harsh words, labeling her the "biggest hypocrite in New York politics" and an "accidental governor" among other things. Coming from a critic as vocal as Torres, the recent praise he lavished on Hochul was all the more striking. Torres underscored her resistance to former President Donald Trump's agenda, articulating, "There might have been moments when I've underestimated the governor," as per a conversation obtained by Gothamist. "My message to Donald Trump is you underestimate Gov. Hochul at your own peril."
His past jabs at Hochul included criticisms of her governance, accusing her of “gaslighting” New Yorkers and calling out what he described as a "disastrous restructuring" of the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program in March. But while speaking on Monday, he drew a distinction between disagreements over program costs and opposition to cutting health care funding, saying, "We might have differences on the margins, but in the grand scheme of our health care system, it's hard to find a greater defender (than Hochul)," City & State New York reports.
While Hochul faces a primary challenge from Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, Torres' alignment signals a reshuffled deck of Democratic support, with him now urging party unity. "Thankfully, we have a governor who is willing and able and has the courage to hold Donald Trump accountable for his betrayal of working families," Torres said, praising Hochul's defiance to Trump's policies, according to an interview with City & State New York. This comes as an especially significant shift considering Torres' previous support for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his own flirtations with a gubernatorial run — a campaign he had been exploring as recently as last month.
