On Tuesday, OneNYC Action will host a virtual debate for candidates in New York’s 15th Congressional District, billing the event as “A Rumble in the Bronx” and offering challengers a chance to make their case to voters ahead of the primary.
Confirmed participants include former Assembly member Michael Blake and political activist Jose Vega.
Sources close to the debate said organizers made multiple attempts to contact Rep. Ritchie Torres’ campaign to confirm participation, but did not receive a response. A staff member from Torres’ office confirmed that he will not be participating in the debate.
The debate will be moderated by public defender Dalourny Nemorin, who recently suspended her own campaign for the seat.
While Torres has far outraised his challengers, the race is drawing attention as several candidates attempt to run to his left. His opponents have focused in part on his support for Israel, elevating foreign policy in what is typically a locally driven race.
OneNYC Action, the group hosting the debate, is the advocacy arm of OneNYC, the independent expenditure committee that first emerged during last year’s mayoral race, spending nearly $220,000 on 14 ads supporting Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s election. According to its website, the organization describes itself as a nonpartisan coalition of business leaders, policymakers and former government officials focused on economic growth and affordability.
“What we’ve heard and what we’ve experienced is that there is interest in this race across New York City, across New York State, even interest across the country,” said OneNYC Action chairman Yasser Salem in an interview with the Bronx Times.
“We felt we would be doing a service to New York by stepping up and allowing voters from across the city, state, and country to hear from the candidates and make up their own minds.”
Salem said the stakes of the race also relate to federal policy decisions, including cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and Medicare, as well as the additional expense of war, which could increase financial burdens on state and city government—particularly as New York City faces a $5.4 billion budget deficit.
“This race is sort of a litmus test to say: ‘where do we stand as New Yorkers on these topics that are impacting us in a very specific and tangible manner?’” Salem said.
But Nemorin said that the debate will still focus on “kitchen sink issues” such as immigration, healthcare, job creation and other everyday issues.
The debate will be live-streamed Tuesday, April 6 at 6 p.m. Registration is available here.
Reach Marina Samuel at msamuel@schnepsmedia.com. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
