Outspoken Zionist Dem Defeats Hasan Piker-Backed Primary Challenger

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), one of Congress’s most outspoken supporters of Israel, easily defeated a Left-wing primary challenger Tuesday night, surviving an effort by leftist activists to unseat him and drawing an angry response from anti-Israel communist commentator Hasan Piker.

Torres cruised to victory in New York’s 15th congressional district, defeating former state Assemblyman Michael Blake by a wide margin. With nearly all votes counted, Torres captured roughly 72% of the vote compared to Blake’s 22%.

The result represents a significant victory for one of the Democratic Party’s most prominent pro-Israel voices at a time when leftist activists have increasingly targeted lawmakers who support the Jewish state. Among those reacting furiously to the outcome was Left-wing streamer Piker, who has frequently clashed with Torres over Israel, antisemitism, and foreign policy.

“Ritchie Torres I know you won tonight … I was coming for you but you got lucky this time … I’ll see you in two, motherf*ck*r … Ritchie! I’m coming for you, Richie,” Piker said after the results became clear. “Sit on that f*ckin seat for the next two years … I hope you remember that.”

Hasan Piker calls out Ritchie Torres after nine of his endorsed candidates win in New York primaries

“Ritchie Torres I know you won tonight. I’ll see you in two years, motherfucker. I’m coming for you, Richie.

Sit on that fuckin seat for the next two years. I hope you remember… pic.twitter.com/rjRcMzcgtA

— Popstonox (@Popstonox) June 24, 2026

Piker continued by warning Torres that he would continue scrutinizing the congressman’s pro-Israel positions. “Every day, every time there’s a decision that you can make where you are pro-Israel, I hope you remember. … You better act right, Ritchie.”

The remarks highlight a years-long feud between the congressman and one of the internet’s most influential leftist commentators.

Torres has repeatedly accused Piker of spreading antisemitic rhetoric and promoting anti-American extremism. In 2024, Torres sent a letter to Twitch and Amazon executives condemning Piker, whom he described as a major source of antisemitic content online.

The congressman’s letter cited a series of controversial statements from Piker, including comments minimizing the significance of sexual violence committed during Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, remarks sympathetic to Hezbollah, and his infamous claim that “America deserved 9/11.”

Torres also accused Piker of platforming extremists and helping fuel the rise of antisemitism on social media.

Despite becoming a frequent target of attacks from his left flank, Torres has continued to carve out a unique position within the Democratic Party. The Bronx congressman formally broke with the Congressional Progressive Caucus in 2024 and has become one of the most forceful Democratic critics of anti-Israel activism.

Blake attempted to capitalize on growing dissatisfaction with Israel among Democratic voters and had previously aligned himself politically with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during last year’s mayoral race.

However, Mamdani notably stayed out of the congressional contest, depriving Blake of the endorsement many on the Left of Torres hoped would help unite the anti-Torres vote.

Torres also enjoyed a massive fundraising advantage throughout the campaign. Federal filings showed the congressman raising nearly $6.7 million compared to roughly $412,000 for Blake.

The decisive victory suggests that while socialist and leftist candidates scored several victories elsewhere in New York on Tuesday, efforts to oust Torres failed to gain meaningful traction among Democratic voters in the Bronx.

Instead, voters handed Torres another overwhelming primary victory and rejected one of the highest-profile attempts by the Democratic Party’s activists to punish a lawmaker for his support of Israel.

For Piker and other anti-Israel activists who have spent years attacking Torres online, Tuesday night’s results amounted to a clear setback. For Torres, they served as another demonstration that his brand of unapologetic support for Israel remains politically viable even as much of his party continues moving Left on the issue.