Without Adams, former governor Andrew Cuomo could win a more favorable rematch against Zoran Mamdani in the November general election.
New York Mayor Eric Adams announces reelection campaign
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced his reelection campaign a few days after the Democratic primary.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has finished his long shot bid to run over a second term leading the nation’s largest city.
The decision to drop Adams’ race as one mayor, announced on September 28, is likely to narrow the field and improve the likelihood of fellow independent candidate and former New York governor Andrew Cuomo. Zoran Mamdani, the state’s leading democratic socialist, upset Cuomo in the June Democratic primary in the overwhelmingly blue city.
Adams announced his departure from the race with a video address posted to X on Sunday. “It was my honor to be your mayor,” he said.
Adams, the 65-year-old Democratic mayor who was elected in 2021, was under pressure to drop out of the race for months, as his administration was plagued by scandals, resignation and allegations of corruption. That pressure recently came from Washington, DC. There, President Donald Trump promoted a one-on-one race with Mamdani, 33, who represents the Queen in the New York State Legislature.
Without Adams, Cuomo would win a more favorable rematch against Mamdani in the November general election. In particular, Trump does not support Republican Curtis Swawa, the founder of the Guardian Angels anti-crime patrol group.
On September 5, news outlets reported that the Trump administration was considering serving Adams as Saudi Arabia’s ambassador. Adams initially said he had not received a formal offer and always wanted to be mayor of New York City.
Adams’ rocky tenure marked for corruption
In early 2025, Trump’s Justice Department stepped in to stop accusations of federal corruption against Adam related to allegedly accepting illegal gifts and campaign contributions from wealthy foreigners, including the Turkish government.
At the time, Trump administration officials said criminal cases were politically motivated. Adams refused by Quid Pro Quo, which was made to withdraw the fee.
Adams chose not to compete in the crowded Democratic primary against Mamdani, Cuomo and other candidates, in the face of resigning, or even resigning. Instead, he ran as independent until he dropped out on September 28th.
Adams is a former Brooklyn Borough police officer, state senator and president of the Brooklyn Borough, who first took office in 2022, and is committed to viewing crime as a “blue-collar mayor.” The former Republican said he remains a Democrat even after he decided to run as an independent.
Mamdani, Swawa reacts to Adams’ departure from mayoral race
In response to Adams’ decision, Mamdani issued a statement denounced both the mayor and Cuomo.
“Donald Trump and his billionaire donors may be able to decide what Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo do, but they won’t decide the outcome of this election,” Mamdani said. “New York is better than trading one dishonorable corrupt politician with another corrupt politician. On November 4th, we turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas, delivering a government that New Yorkers can be proud of.”
A spokesman for Daniel Kurzyna Curtis Sliwa’s campaign did not mention Adams at all in response to the news.
“Curtis Swa is the only candidate who can defeat Mamdani,” Kurjina said. “Our team, our resources and funding are unparalleled. Most importantly, we have the best solution to help working people stay in New York City and feel safe.”
NBC’s “Meet the Press” host Kristen Walker said on Sunday, September 28th that Cuomo will be appearing on the show, but cancelled his appearance on Saturday. Instead, the former governor addressed the congregation at Bethany Baptist Church in Brooklyn on Sunday morning, prior to Adams’ social media announcement, where he discussed housing, gun violence and promoted his experience in the government.
In a statement, Cuomo hit a different tone, but said he believes Adams “puts the happiness of New York City ahead of his personal ambitions.” Cuomo also said he could destroy New York City, adding that “it’s not too late to stop them,” but that it didn’t go into further details.
“Mayor Adams has a lot to be proud of his achievements,” Cuomo said in a statement on September 28th. “Only in New York, a child who grew up in a Bushwick tenement, who once worked as a squeegee boy and a postal clerk, becomes mayor. Whatever the difference we have, Eric Adams’ story is undoubtedly a testament to the resilience, the spirit of this city.”
Eduardo Quebus is based in New York City. Contact him by email at emcuevas1@usatoday.com or by signalling emcuevas.01.
