Ritchie Torres stumps for Harris in Pittsburgh
The pro-Israel congressman said he intended to “reassure the Jewish community that the Democratic Party — despite the background noise on Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok — has been and will remain fundamentally pro-Israel."
Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York and Kamala Harris’ campaign Jewish liaison Ilan Goldenberg were in Pittsburgh on Sunday, addressing a group of about 140 Jewish voters before Tuesday’s election.
Jewish Insider reported that “A source familiar with the event said it was geared, in part, at reassuring Jewish voters in Pittsburgh who’ve been frustrated by anti-Israel rhetoric from Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) and to reiterate that Vice President Kamala Harris does not share Lee’s positions on Israel.”
Lee, who represents Squirrel Hill, has been an outspoken critic of the Jewish state, calling for a cease-fire shortly after Hamas’ attack on Israel, during which the terrorist group murdered more than 1200 people and kidnapped more than 250 others.
On Oct. 7, as Jewish Pittsburghers marked the one-year anniversary of the Hamas invasion, Lee issued a statement — along with Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and County Executive Sara Innamorato — seeming to blame Israel for Hamas’ attack.
In a statement to Jewish Insider, Torres said, “I joined the Harris campaign in showing solidarity with the Pittsburgh Jewish community, which has been profoundly shaken by both the Tree of Life mass shooting and the post-October 7th outbreak of antisemitism.”
He added that he intended to “reassure the Jewish community that the Democratic Party — despite the background noise on Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok — has been and will remain fundamentally pro-Israel and that the Vice President herself falls squarely within the pro-Israel consensus that has historically governed American politics, rejecting both the [a]nti-Zionism of the far left and the America-[F]irst isolationism of the far right.”
Torres has been a strong advocate for Israel. Politico has described him as Israel’s “loudest supporter” in the House of Representatives, and he has visited the country regularly since 2015. Since Oct. 7, 2023, he has argued with other Democrats who have called for a cease-fire, including Ilhan Omar. Earlier this year, he left the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
On Oct. 22, in a Detroit suburb, Torres was the featured speaker at a gathering at a private home, with the aim of convincing the roughly 85 attendees that Harris is a pro-Israel stalwart who deserves their vote, The Times of Israel reported. PJC
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