N.Y.C. Mayor Eric Adams Abandons Doomed Reelection Bid

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is stepping away from the crowded 2025 mayoral contest.

On Sunday, Sept. 28, after weeks of speculation about President Donald Trump’s potential involvement in the New York City election, Adams, 65, announced he would not seek another term.

“The constant media speculation about my future and the campaign finance board’s decision to withhold millions of dollars have undermined my ability to raise the funds needed for a serious campaign,” Adams said in a video shared on social media. “I hope that over time New Yorkers will see this city thrive under our leadership and that policies we put in place should be continued and expanded. I hope you will see that despite the headlines and innuendo, I always put you before me.”

“It’s been an honor to be your mayor,” he added. “I strongly encourage whoever takes over City Hall to continue what we’ve done.”

Adams’ withdrawal is seen as a boost to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s third-party campaign, which has shifted further right since his June loss in the Democratic primary. This adjustment improves Cuomo’s chances of overtaking Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, who currently leads the field.

Adams did not endorse Mamdani, Cuomo, or Republican Curtis Sliwa. Instead, he cautioned voters about radical positions and candidates with inconsistent stances.

“I want to be clear, although this is the end of my campaign, this will not be the end of my public service,” Adams said. “I will keep fighting for our city no matter what because I am a New Yorker.”

Since taking office in 2022, Adams, a registered Democrat, has faced multiple controversies. Following several investigations and high-profile resignations in his administration, Adams was charged in September with five criminal counts related to alleged ties with foreign businessmen and a Turkish official seeking to influence his decisions, according to a federal indictment.

Despite the charges, Adams refused to resign and had planned to run on an independent line, bypassing the Democratic primary. After President Trump took office, the Justice Department dismissed the charges against him.

During a typical election year in deep-blue New York City, the winner of the Democratic primary usually claims victory in November. The 2025 mayoral race, however, has defied that pattern.

Although 33-year-old Democratic Socialist Mamdani captured the Democratic nomination in a landslide, Cuomo continued his campaign via a third-party line, and Adams’ independent bid threatened to split the Democratic vote three ways.

With Cuomo, Adams, and Sliwa all in the race, Mamdani maintained a comfortable lead in polls. According to August polling data, his only potential loss scenario was a two-way matchup against Cuomo.

Republicans and moderate Democrats pressured Adams and Sliwa to step aside to prevent Mamdani from advancing his progressive agenda, which includes free public buses, rent freezes for subsidized units, city-operated grocery stores, and universal childcare.

The Trump administration would face challenges with a Mayor Mamdani in office, as Mamdani has vowed to “stop masked ICE agents from deporting our neighbors.” In July, when asked what he would do if Mamdani interfered with deportation efforts, Trump replied, “Well then, we’ll have to arrest him.”

Cuomo, who resigned in disgrace as governor in 2021, pledged that if elected, he would leverage his influence to counter Trump. “I would spend eight years in Washington — go to that U.S. Conference of Mayors, go to the National Governors Association,” Cuomo said in June. “He’s cutting Medicaid. Medicaid is not a blue-city, blue-state situation. That is in every state. That is a lot of red congressional districts. And he could lose the House on cutting Medicaid if you organized it and got it moving.”

After losing the Democratic nomination, Cuomo became the underdog. In August, The New York Times reported that Trump had inquired about which candidate had the best chance of defeating Mamdani. Multiple sources indicated Cuomo was Trump’s preferred option, leading to a reported phone call between the two. The Times noted it was “unclear” who initiated the call or what was discussed. Cuomo’s spokesperson said the former governor had not discussed the race with Trump recently.