Assembly Member Amanda Septimo, who represents the South Bronx’s 84th District, announced she is joining the pool of candidates challenging Rep. Ritchie Torres in the Congressional District 15 primary.
Septimo is in her fifth year in the assembly and will run for NY-15 as a Democrat, joining other announced candidates Michael Blake, Dalourny Nemorin and Jon LaTona. Andre Easton and José Vega are also running again Torres as independents.
In an interview with the Bronx Times, Septimo said her political career represents “a very Bronx story.”
As a teenager, she joined a community activism program with The Point CDC, where she began seeing “through an equity lens” that shaped her political understanding. “Once you put it on, you can’t take it off,” she said.
Septimo also worked in labor unions and for four years as staff to José E. Serrano, whose career in Congress lasted from 1989 to 2021.
Serrano was a major influence and mentor, Septimo said. She admired his advocacy for both the Bronx and Puerto Rico, finding a balance between local, national and international concerns.
“He’s an incredible person to be able to learn from,” Septimo said. “It was incredible to walk down the street with him, and that’s the kind of representation that I hope to bring to the seat.”
Septimo said her top issue is addressing the high costs of food and shelter, including investment in public housing, creation of true affordable housing and expanding, not limiting SNAP benefits.
She also said that public safety is a priority because, although NYPD data indicates a decrease in major crimes, with improvements the department called “historic,” yet many residents do not feel the positive effects.
“Your stats are only as good as the people who experience them every day,” Septimo said.
As for the two-term incumbent Torres and his multimillion-dollar campaign bank, Septimo said she lives by the motto of “run your own race, keep your eyes on your own paper.” However, she said NY-15 has missed out on resources and investment under his tenure.
“We need a federal representative that is speaking consistently to the issues we’re seeing on a daily basis,” Septimo said. “The Bronx is a place that needs all of the resources, all of the attention and certainly all of the opportunity that it can get.”
Though the timing of the election cycles means Septimo must give up her Assembly seat to run for Congress, she said she’s optimistic about her chance of remaining a Bronx representative.
“I would not be doing this if I didn’t think there was a viable path,” she said. “Now feels like the time because I think the time I’ve spent in the Assembly has really allowed me to figure out, how do you problem solve in ways that feel meaningful to real people you meet every day.”
Septimo said she plans an official launch event for January and the primary election will be held in June 2026.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
