Rep. Ritchie Torres is in for a primary fight as another challenger is ready to jump into the ring. Public defender, community board member and DSA organizer Dalourny Nemorin is set to announce her candidacy for the 15th Congressional District this evening in the South Bronx.
Nemorin, who is currently a staff attorney at the Legal Aid Society, said that her interest in entering politics began in 2023, about a decade after she received her law degree. At the time, she joined Bronx Community Board 1, where she still serves as chair of the policy and legislation committee, and began laying the groundwork for a campaign. Nemorin didn’t start the process specifically with Torres in mind, but she said he is the “number one preoccupied politician” with donors at the expense of his constituents. “I think the most harmful politician we have that represents me is Ritchie Torres, and that has become clearer and clearer when I’ve done my work,” she told City & State.
Torres has represented the district, which is the poorest in the country, since he won a crowded Democratic primary in 2020 to succeed retiring Rep. Jose Serrano. He didn’t face a primary challenge in 2024, but next year he’ll face off in the Democratic primary against Nemorin; former Assembly Member Michael Blake, who lost to Torres in that crowded 2020 race; and progressive organizer Jose Vega, who ran against Torres as an independent candidate in 2024. Andre Easton, a public school teacher who belongs to the Party for Socialism and Liberation, has also announced a longshot run against Torres as an independent candidate.
Before deciding to run for reelection, Torres had flirted with the idea of primarying Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026, which would have left his seat open for new representation. But after months of attacking the governor and broadcasting his interest, Torres ultimately decided not to run and endorsed Hochul for reelection.
Torres is a prolific fundraiser – and has received criticism for accepting contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and supporters of President Donald Trump – and he maintains a larger national profile than your average congressional representative. But Nemorin said that the recent success of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani proved that neither money nor name recognition are insurmountable obstacles with the right message. Mamdani’s positive performance in the Bronx, where he beat former Gov. Andrew Cuomo by 11 points in the general election, is giving her hope for her own prospects. “I think the country is talking about a new type of representation, a new type of Democrat, a new type of leadership, which is what Zohran’s race represents,” Nemorin said.
Like Mamdani, Nemorin is a member of the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, and she described herself as “heavily involved” in the group’s organizing. She said she is exploring the prospect of seeking the organization’s endorsement, but she is cognizant that NYC-DSA is still determining where to concentrate its limited resources. “However, my campaign will have many DSA members involved, whether DSA endorses – the organization – on the campaign or not,” Nemorin said.
Torres spokesperson Benny Stanislawski brushed off the new challenge in a statement. “Bronx voters trust Ritchie Torres to be their voice fighting for them in Washington because he is a lifelong resident who has delivered real results for the community,” he said. “Ritchie has been laser-focused on issues like public housing and affordability while standing up to Donald Trump. That’s why he’s going to win again next year.”