Ritchie Torres

ON THE ISSUES

• Advocated for a carbon-conservative building material requirement in public housing
• Voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, the most significant action Congress has ever taken to address climate change
• Supports The Green New Deal
• Earned a 96% lifetime score on LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard

WHY THIS RACE MATTERS

• Re-electing Torres will maintain Afro-Latinx representation in Congress
• Holding this seat in New York will help win a pro-environmental majority in the House, making it easier to pass climate legislation at the federal level

Candidate Background

Representative Ritchie Torres is running for a third term to represent New York's 15th Congressional District. Torres was born and raised by a single mother in the Bronx, growing up in a housing project without reliable heat or hot water.  In 2013, he was elected to New York City Council, becoming the youngest and first openly LGBTQIA+ elected official in the Bronx.  During his tenure as an NYC Council Member, Torres oversaw the New York City Housing Authority to create affordable, safe and sustainable housing for NYC residents. He addressed mold infestation and advocated for a carbon-conservative building material requirement in public housing. Torres in 2022 introduced the Environmental Justice Air Quality Monitoring Act which would help address pollution in environmental justice communities by expanding access to local air quality data. He received a 96% lifetime score on LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard. As a millennial candidate, he has talked about the need to act on climate change. Representative Torres is endorsed by LCV Action Fund.