US Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) speaks during the House Financial Services Committee hearing in Washington, DC, Sept. 30, 2021. Photo: Al Drago/Pool via REUTERS

A recent Siena College poll found that Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) holds a higher approval rating among Jewish registered voters in New York State than Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), setting the stage for an expected race for the governor’s mansion in 2026 between the two US lawmakers. 

Torres enjoys a 41 percent approval rating among New York Jews, compared to an 8 percent disapproval rating, the poll showed. Comparatively, Lawler, who is Jewish himself, holds a 31 percent approval rating and 24 percent disapproval rating among Jews in the state.

Both Torres and Lawler are widely expected to throw their hat in the ring for the 2026 New York gubernatorial election.

While the Siena College poll found that about half the electorate either didn’t know the lawmakers or didn’t have an opinion of them, only 33 percent of New Yorkers stated that they plan on voting for incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) in 2026, indicating her vulnerability.

Torres, whose district represents large swaths of the Bronx, has been increasingly critical of Hochul, lambasting her for supposedly being a political “insider” who lacks the fortitude to combat corruption within The Empire State. He has also called Hochul a “hypocrite” for switching her positions on gun rights and congestion pricing. 

Moreover, since his arrival in Congress, Torres has been highly outspoken against antisemitism, oftentimes criticizing fellow liberals over their unwillingness to combat bigotry against the Jewish community. He has relentlessly criticized local universities such as New York University (NYU) and Columbia University for fostering campus environments which condone antisemitic conduct from faculty and students. He has called on local universities to amend their non-discrimination policies to include “Zionist” students as a protected identity. 

Lawler, who represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, has also been floated as a potential contender for the New York governorship. Lawler slammed Hochul after the governor announced an “inflation check” program, which would send $300 dollars to New Yorkers making up to $150,000 per year and $300 to families making $300,000 per year. The lawmaker has also criticized Hochul over her refusal to aggressively tackle surging crime and violence within the state. 

“It should come as no surprise that the most incompetent Governor in New York’s history isn’t capable of reading a balance sheet,” Lawler said recently. “But it is sad that Governor Hochul feels the need to lie to New Yorkers about how her political ‘vote-for-me’ checks are being paid for.”

Like Torres, Lawler has positioned himself as a stalwart ally of Israel since entering Congress, oftentimes spearheading bills to combat antisemitism both domestically and abroad. Lawler has also sponsored legislation to target countries and entities that treat Israel unfairly, such as the “Stand With Israel Act,” which would defund United Nations agencies that “expel, downgrade, suspend, or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel.”