Adams drops out of mayor’s race

Mayor Eric Adams ended his campaign for reelection on Sunday, making the announcement in an 8-minute video uploaded to social media. Screenshot via Eric Adams/X

By Jacob Kaye

After spending months fighting off rumors that his reelection campaign was a doomed cause, Mayor Eric Adams threw in the towel over the weekend and announced his bid for a second term as the city’s top official had come to an end.

Adams, who spent a significant amount of his childhood in Queens, said on Sunday that he “felt immense pride serving you every day” but found that he was unable to “continue [his] reelection campaign” in a video he posted on social media Sunday afternoon.

The mayor’s announcement officially puts to an end any hope Adams had for returning to office for another four years, a prospect that has long been viewed in New York City political circles as a virtual impossibility.

Adams, who was consistently polling in last place in the now-three-way race for mayor, has been facing regular calls to resign for over a year.

His Sunday announcement came almost exactly a year after he became the first New York City mayor to face federal criminal charges while in office. The indictment marked the beginning of the end for the mayor, who was largely unable to raise funds, recruit supporters or build any real momentum toward his reelection.

He blamed the state of his campaign on the charges, which were later dropped by the Trump administration in a controversial move that only fueled the calls for Adams to both withdraw from the race and resign from office.

The mayor also blasted the media and the city’s Campaign Finance Board for undermining his “ability to raise the funds needed for a serious campaign.”

“I also know some remain unsure of me, after the unfortunate events surrounding my federal case,” the mayor said. “I was wrongfully charged because I fought for this city. And if I had to do it again, I would fight for New York, again.”

The mayor’s announcement came around a month after rumors began to swirl that he was seeking a job within the Trump administration in exchange for his departure from the race. President Donald Trump reportedly felt that an Adams-free mayoral race would boost former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s chances of victory.

The mayor spent weeks denying the chatter about his failed campaign, which adopted the slogan, “Always delivers. Never quits.”

The mayor did not indicate what his plans were for the future, but said that his one term in Gracie Mansion would “not be the end of my public service.” His name will remain on the ballot in November because the deadline to remove it has long passed.

“I will keep fighting for our city no matter what because I am a New Yorker,” he said.

The mayor’s departure stands to shake up the already-unusual race for New York City mayor with a little more than a month before election day.

Adams, who was running an independent campaign after choosing not to run in the Democratic primary race earlier this year, was polling well below his three major opponents: Cuomo, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, the winner of the Democratic primary and clear front-runner in the race.

The mayor, who has railed against each of the candidates running for mayor throughout his campaign, did not make an endorsement while dropping out on Sunday.

Instead, he issued a dark warning to New Yorkers.

“Extremism is growing in our politics,” the mayor said. “Our children are being radicalized to hate our city and our country. Political anger is turning into political violence too often, insidious forces use local government to advance divisive agendas with little regard for how it hurts everyday New Yorkers.”

At one point, Adams appeared to discourage voters specifically from voting for Mamdani.

“Major change is welcome and necessary, but beware of those who claim the answer to destroy the very system we built together over generations,” he said. “That is not change, that is chaos.”

“Instead, I urge New Yorkers to choose leaders not by what they promised, but by what they have delivered,” he added.

In a statement on Sunday, Mamdani suggested that Adams’ departure from the race was orchestrated by Trump and wealthy New Yorkers, some of whom have spent campaign cash to prevent Mamdani from winning the race for the better part of year.

“Donald Trump and his billionaire donors might be able to determine Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo’s actions but they will not dictate the results of this election,” Mamdani said. “New York deserves better than trading in one disgraced, corrupt politician for another.”

“On November 4th, we are going to turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas and deliver a government every New Yorker can be proud of,” he added.

Like Mamdani, Sliwa, who lost to Adams in the 2021 general election, spent little time mourning the end of the mayor’s campaign and instead looked to the future.

“I am the only candidate who can defeat Mamdani,” the Republican nominee said. “Our team, our resources, and our supporters are unmatched. Most importantly, we have the best solutions to help working people afford to stay in New York City and feel safe.”

While two of his opponents had few kind words for Adams on Sunday, one appeared to issue their support for the mayor’s tenure and his decision to drop out.

“The choice [Adams] made today was not an easy one, but I believe he is sincere in putting the well-being of New York City ahead of personal ambition,” Cuomo said in a statement. “We face destructive extremist forces that would devastate our city through incompetence or ignorance, but it is not too late to stop them.”

“Whatever differences we may have, Eric Adams’ story is undeniably one of resilience, a testament to the spirit of this city,” the former governor added.

Governor Kathy Hochul also praised the mayor, saying in a statement that she was “proud to work with Mayor Adams to make New York City safer, stronger, and more affordable” over the past four years.

“I have been grateful for his partnership,” the governor said. “He leaves New York City better than he inherited it and that will always be central to his legacy as mayor.”

A spokesperson for the mayor said Adams, who will soon become the only one-term mayor in the last 30 years, will remain in office through the remainder of his term but won’t make any public appearances over the next couple of days.

“While he will maintain his day-to-day responsibilities leading the city, over the next few days he will also take time to be with family and friends,” the spokesperson said.