ALBANY — Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) is throwing support behind Robert Zimmerman’s Long Island congressional run.
Torres announced Tuesday that he is backing the longtime Democratic fundraiser’s bid to succeed Rep. Tom Suozzi, who is not seeking reelection as he is running for governor.
“Robert Zimmerman will bring positive change at the grassroots level,” Torres said of Zimmerman, a member of the Democratic National Committee and longtime campaign fund bundler for big name candidates including Hillary Clinton.
“As the first Afro-Latino LGBTQ+ member of Congress, I know it is vitally important to elect individuals who are dedicated to advocacy and community,” he noted, adding that he believes Zimmerman is the candidate best suited to represent the recently redrawn 3rd Congressional District.
The boundaries of the new district no longer stretch across the Long Island Sound and into Westchester after the Court of Appeals rejected congressional maps drawn up by Democrats earlier this year.
Instead, the district now consists almost entirely of Nassau County, as well as a sliver of eastern Queens.
The rejiggering of congressional districts led state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (D-Bronx) to drop from the Democratic primary against Zimmerman and instead run for a Hudson Valley seat after Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) angered fellow Dems by announcing a bid for a district currently held by Rep. Mondaire Jones.
The game of congressional candidate musical chairs leaves Zimmerman facing off against Deputy Suffolk County Executive Jon Kaiman, Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan, businesswoman Reema Rasool and progressive advocate Melanie D’Arrigo in the Aug. 23 primary.
Zimmerman, who runs a Great Neck-based public relations firm, has already banked big name endorsements from top Dems. Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, a longtime friend, and several sitting members of Congress including Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) have backed his bid.
Torres’ endorsement of the 67-year-old, who three previous failed runs for public office in the 1980s, is a progressive boost as it comes after the Daily News reported Zimmerman frequently parroted conservative talking points on border security and repeatedly used terms like “illegal alien” while appearing as a political commentator on cable news networks over a decade ago.
Torres said he believes Zimmerman will fight to prevent gun violence and protect abortion rights as well as “combat the forces of hate and bigotry that seek to divide us” if elected.
“I look forward to serving together with Rep. Torres and collaborating with him on a wide range of issues to deliver real results for our region in Congress,” Zimmerman said.
