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Assembly Member Amanda Septimo (in pink) speaks at a parks advocacy event in the South Bronx on Oct. 24, 2025. <\/p>\n
Photo by Emily Swanson <\/p>\n
Assembly Member Amanda Septimo, who represents the South Bronx\u2019s 84th District, announced she is joining the pool of candidates challenging Rep. Ritchie Torres in the Congressional District 15 primary.<\/p>\n
Septimo is in her fifth year in the assembly and will run for NY-15 as a Democrat, joining other announced candidates Michael Blake,<\/a> Dalourny Nemorin<\/a> and Jon LaTona. Andre Easton<\/a> and Jos\u00e9 Vega are also running again Torres as independents.\u00a0<\/p>\n In an interview with the Bronx Times, Septimo said her political career represents \u201ca very Bronx story.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n As a teenager, she joined a community activism program with The Point CDC, where she began seeing \u201cthrough an equity lens\u201d that shaped her political understanding. \u201cOnce you put it on, you can\u2019t take it off,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Septimo also worked in labor unions and for four years as staff to Jos\u00e9 E. Serrano, whose career in Congress lasted from 1989 to 2021.\u00a0<\/p>\n Serrano was a major influence and mentor, Septimo said. She admired his advocacy for both the Bronx and Puerto Rico, finding a balance between local, national and international concerns.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s an incredible person to be able to learn from,\u201d Septimo said. \u201cIt was incredible to walk down the street with him, and that\u2019s the kind of representation that I hope to bring to the seat.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Septimo said her top issue is addressing the high costs of food and shelter, including investment in public housing, creation of true affordable housing and expanding, not limiting SNAP benefits.\u00a0<\/p>\n She also said that public safety is a priority because, although NYPD data indicates a decrease<\/a> in major crimes, with improvements the department called \u201chistoric,\u201d yet many residents do not feel the positive effects. <\/p>\n \u201cYour stats are only as good as the people who experience them every day,\u201d Septimo said.\n<\/p>\n As for the two-term incumbent Torres and his multimillion-dollar campaign bank, Septimo said she lives by the motto of \u201crun your own race, keep your eyes on your own paper.\u201d However, she said NY-15 has missed out on resources and investment under his tenure.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe need a federal representative that is speaking consistently to the issues we\u2019re seeing on a daily basis,\u201d Septimo said. \u201cThe Bronx is a place that needs all of the resources, all of the attention and certainly all of the opportunity that it can get.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Though the timing of the election cycles means Septimo must give up her Assembly seat to run for Congress, she said she\u2019s optimistic about her chance of remaining a Bronx representative.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI would not be doing this if I didn\u2019t think there was a viable path,\u201d she said. \u201cNow feels like the time because I think the time I\u2019ve spent in the Assembly has really allowed me to figure out, how do you problem solve in ways that feel meaningful to real people you meet every day.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Septimo said she plans an official launch event for January and the primary election will be held in June 2026.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Reach Emily Swanson at\u00a0eswanson@schnepsmedia.com<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0(646) 717-0015<\/a>. For more coverage, subscribe to our\u00a0newsletter<\/a>\u00a0and follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\n \t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_1180.jpg\")
Septimo attends a food distribution with Food Bank for NYC.Photo courtesy Septimo campaign<\/p>\n