Who's In the Race

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) faces Republican Stylo Sapaskis in the November 3 general election in New York's 15th Congressional District. ​

Torres has represented New York's 15th District since 2021, having previously served on the New York City Council from 2014 to 2020; his campaign biography says he became the city's youngest elected official at age 25. He won the Democratic primary on June 23, 2026, with about 72 percent of the vote over runner-up Michael Blake, who received about 22 percent.

Sapaskis is a Bronx-based Republican who has also run for New York City Council District 11; he holds a bachelor's degree in film production and cinema studies. The Republican primary was canceled, and Sapaskis advanced without a vote.

What They Stand For

Torres has proposed creating a national system to recover surplus food and deliver it to people in need through legislation he introduced called the Food Rescue Act, according to his official House website. He's also supported:

  • Affordable housing and making the Bronx an affordable place to live,
  • Quality health care for his constituents,
  • Reducing gun violence and improving public safety in the Bronx; and
  • Urging banking regulators to lower capital requirements for investments in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit projects, according to his House website.

Sapaskis has proposed raising the minimum wage to $20 per hour, according to his iVoterGuide profile. He also supports:

  • Financial aid for higher education,
  • Increased police presence and making public safety a top priority in the Bronx, according to the Red Apple Podcast Network; and
  • Addressing inflation and the rising cost of gas and food, according to his iVoterGuide profile.

The Money Behind the Race

Through June 30, Torres had raised about $6.9 million this cycle and held nearly $14 million in cash on hand, with no debt. His cash on hand, nearly $14 million as of June 30, exceeds his total receipts of about $6.9 million.

Outside groups have spent about $3.79 million supporting Torres, with no spending recorded in opposition; the largest spenders were Protect Progress at about $1.42 million, Think Big at about $1.12 million, and Equality PAC at about $612,000.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets

Cook Political Report rated the race Solid Democratic as of Oct. 19; Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it Solid Democratic as of Oct. 11; and Inside Elections rated it Solid Democratic as of Oct. 2. On Kalshi, traders gave Democrats, whose nominee is Torres, a 98.87 percent chance of winning as of Oct. 20.

The district has backed Torres by wide margins in each of the last two cycles, with Torres taking about 75 percent in the 2022 general election and about 76 percent in 2024. In 2022, Democrats won 18 of the state's 26 U.S. House seats, and Republicans won 8. In the 2024 presidential race, Democrat Kamala Harris carried New York with about 55 percent of the vote.

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