New York City Councilmember Ritchie Torres made history Tuesday (November 3) night by winning his race to become the first openly gay, Afro-Latino person elected to Congress. In a heavily Democratic district, Torres competed against 12 candidates in the Democratic primary. And on election night, the New York Times projected Torres as the winner over Republican Patrick Delices by a wide margin.

The congressman-elect from the South Bronx said, “It is the honor of a lifetime to represent a borough filled with essential workers who risked their lives so that New York City could live. My pledge to the district is simple: I will fight for you. The Bronx is my home, it is what made me who I am, and it is what I will fight for in Congress.”

Torres said he would join the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), according to The Hill.

“His victory is a testament to the Hispanic Caucus’ commitment to expanding our Caucus with diverse voices by investing in candidates like Ritchie Torres, who is soon to be the first openly LGBTQ+ Afro- Latino Member of Congress,” U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas, a California Democrat, said.