Michael Blake on The Young Turks Podcast: Who Ritchie Torres Really Answers To

The Young Turks Podcast | December 17, 2025 | Watch the podcast here.

In a candid conversation with Cenk Uygur, Michael Blake draws a sharp contrast between his community-first campaign and the record of incumbent Ritchie Torres. Blake argues that NY-15 deserves a representative focused on the district’s urgent needs, criticizing Torres for prioritizing national profile and foreign policy positioning, including close alignment with powerful pro-Israel lobbying organizations such as AIPAC.

Blake underscores that while families in the South Bronx face some of the highest poverty, housing insecurity, and health disparities in the country, their voices too often come second to political alliances. He frames the race as a clear choice: leadership accountable to special interests, or leadership rooted in and answerable to the people of NY-15.