from WNYC studios. I'm Brian Lehrer. This is my daily politics podcast. It's Monday,

August 4th. Our first guest this week is Bronx Congressman Richie Torres, who is in the

news for a number of things he's fighting for

and a number of things he's been reconsidering.

Congressman Torres endorsed Andrew Cuomo and opposed to Ron Mondani in the Democratic mayoral primary.

He hasn't endorsed anyone yet for the general election, even though it's mostly Cuomo versus

Mamdani again at this point.

A staunch supporter of Israel during the Gaza war and a quote, unapologetic Zionist,

as Politico says he called himself last week.

Torres has recently started being more critical.

Politico has a story this morning that begins, Richie Torres, one of the Democratic Party's

most ardent Zionists,

has begun questioning Israel as recent images of starving Palestinian children shock leaders around

the world, unquote. And last week, the Jewish newspaper, the Ford, quoted Torres saying

Netanyahu is doing, quote, irreparable damage to the U.S. Israel relationship. And until recently,

Congressman Torres was considering a primary challenge next year to Governor Kathy Hokel,

a challenge from the right of her politically. But reporting says he gave up that idea because

Mamdani won the Democratic primary for mayor. We'll get the congressman's own

words on that, of course. What hasn't changed is the congressman's outspoken opposition to much

of President Trump's domestic agenda, such as the Medicaid cuts in the one big budget and policy

bill, the Congressman District, Congressman's District,

is often described as the poorest in the U.S. The 15th Congressional District runs from Riverdale

...