Conservative Democrat and young gay politician fight over open House seat

[DonViejo]

BY GRACE SEGERS

JULY 16, 2019 / 12:29 PM / CBS NEWS

Ritchie Torres and Rubén Díaz Sr. are both Latino members of the New York City Council from the Bronx running to replace retiring Rep. José Serrano, but their differences far outweigh their similarities.

Torres is a 31-year-old gay man who became the youngest member of the city council in 2014. A staunch progressive who has endorsed Bernie Sanders, Torres has advocated on behalf of public housing tenants during his time on the council. He has also taken aim Jared Kushner, sponsoring a bill passed in the council that closed what was known as the "Kushner loophole" and strengthened the regulation of construction permits in the city.

The 76-year-old Díaz, whose son is the borough president of the Bronx and a possible contender in the 2021 mayoral race, is a local Pentecostal reverend and former member of the New York state Senate who has garnered support due to his advocacy on behalf of his predominantly Hispanic and black community. He has also long opposed same-sex marriage, criticized the LGBTQ community, and campaigned with conservative Republican Sen. Ted Cruz during the 2016 New York primary.

The Bronx seat is one of the most heavily Democratic in the country, and the primary's winner will have a pronounced leg-up in the general election.

Díaz, a flamboyant figure known for his trademark cowboy hat, was besieged by calls to resign in February after he said that the council was "controlled by the homosexual community." Corey Johnson, the city council speaker, is openly gay and HIV positive, and there are several openly gay members of the council.

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