![\"Michael](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775632790_187_Untitled-design-1.jpg\")
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Michael Blake and Jose Vega.<\/p>\n
Courtesy of the campaign of Jose Vega\/Reuters<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, OneNYC Action will host a virtual debate for candidates in New York\u2019s 15th Congressional District, billing the event as \u201cA Rumble in the Bronx\u201d and offering challengers a chance to make their case to voters ahead of the primary.<\/p>\n
Confirmed participants include former Assembly member Michael Blake<\/a> and political activist Jose Vega<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sources close to the debate said organizers made multiple attempts to contact Rep. Ritchie Torres\u2019 campaign to confirm participation, but did not receive a response. A staff member from Torres\u2019 office confirmed that he will not be participating in the debate.<\/p>\n The debate will be moderated by public defender Dalourny Nemorin, who recently suspended her own campaign<\/a> for the seat.<\/p>\n While Torres has far outraised his challengers, the race is drawing attention as several candidates attempt to run to his left. His opponents have focused in part on his support for Israel, elevating foreign policy in what is typically a locally driven race.<\/p>\n OneNYC Action, the group hosting the debate, is the advocacy arm of OneNYC, the independent expenditure committee that first emerged<\/a> during last year\u2019s mayoral race, spending nearly $220,000 on 14 ads supporting Mayor Zohran Mamdani\u2019s election. According to its website, the organization<\/a> describes itself as a nonpartisan coalition of business leaders, policymakers and former government officials focused on economic growth and affordability.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we\u2019ve heard and what we\u2019ve experienced is that there is interest in this race across New York City, across New York State, even interest across the country,\u201d said OneNYC Action chairman Yasser Salem in an interview with the Bronx Times.<\/p>\n \u201cWe felt we would be doing a service to New York by stepping up and allowing voters from across the city, state, and country to hear from the candidates and make up their own minds.\u201d<\/p>\n Salem said the stakes of the race also relate to federal policy decisions, including cuts to SNAP<\/a>, Medicaid, and Medicare, as well as the additional expense of war, which could increase financial burdens on state and city government\u2014particularly as New York City faces a $5.4 billion budget deficit.<\/p>\n \u201cThis race is sort of a litmus test to say: \u2018where do we stand as New Yorkers on these topics that are impacting us in a very specific and tangible manner?\u2019\u201d Salem said.\u00a0<\/p>\n But Nemorin said that the debate will still focus on \u201ckitchen sink issues\u201d such as immigration, healthcare, job creation and other everyday issues.\u00a0\u00a0\n<\/p>\n The debate will be live-streamed Tuesday, April 6 at 6 p.m. Registration is available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Reach Marina Samuel at msamuel@schnepsmedia.com. For more coverage, subscribe to our\u00a0newsletter<\/a>\u00a0and follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram!<\/a><\/p>\n \t