After months of speculation about his campaign, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Sunday that he’s suspended his reelection bid. Although Adams didn’t immediately endorse any of his opponents, he appeared to take shots at frontrunner Zohran Mamdani. Adams’ withdrawal brightens the spotlight on Mamdani and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo as the most prominent candidates in the New York mayoral race.

Adams drops out of the race, blaming legal trouble and media scrutiny

Adams explained his decision to drop out of the mayoral race in a nearly 9-minute video posted to X, formerly Twitter. In the video, Adams celebrated the influence of his mother, whose portrait he placed next to him at the beginning of the video, painting his rise as a fulfillment of the American dream. Adams touted successes in housing and crime reduction, as well as appointing a historically diverse administration, “We built leadership that looks like New York.”

Despite these successes, Adams blamed the fallout of his legal problems for having to end his campaign. “I was wrongfully charged because I fought for this city,” Adams argued, before explaining, “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.”

Only in America. Only in New York.Thank you for making my story a reality. pic.twitter.com/efHuyBnITJ— Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) September 28, 2025

Adams’ announcement caps a tumultuous term in office and brings an end to speculation about his campaign. Adams became the second Black mayor in New York City history after winning the election as a Democrat in 2021. However, multiple corruption scandals involving Adams and others working under him, with several resigning from office, plagued his administration. Adams was charged in 2024 on federal bribery and corruption charges, accused of accepting campaign contributions and lavish gifts in exchange for special consideration surrounding the construction of a new Turkish government building in the city. After President Donald Trump returned to the White House, the government dropped the federal case against Adams, having previously indicated that the administration supported Adams in his immigration crackdown in the city. Adams announced that he would seek reelection as an independent rather than a Democrat. However, the history of scandal continued to hang over Adams, who began to fade in the polls against his challengers.

Impacts on the New York City mayoral race

The decline for Adams has come as the progressive Democratic challenger Zohran Mamdani has risen in the polls, winning the Democratic primary earlier this year over Cuomo. After his defeat, Cuomo — who resigned as governor in 2021 over sexual harassment allegations — has remained in the race as an independent. Guardian Angels founder Curtis Silwa, meanwhile, is the Republican candidate in the race. Although Adams did not immediately endorse any candidate, he made comments in his video that can be viewed as shots at Mamdani, as Adams warned of “extremism” and “divisive agendas” while urging “New Yorkers to choose leaders not by what they promise but by what they deliver.”

It is not immediately clear how Adams’ dropping out will impact the other candidates ahead of the November election. Trump has suggested that he preferred a single candidate to run against Mamdani as the best shot of defeating the Democratic candidate. Cuomo praised Adams after the mayor’s announcement, saying Adams “has much to be proud of in his accomplishments.” Mamdani, in contrast, continued to criticize Adams for failing to deliver on his promises to New Yorkers.

“He raised their rents, slowed their buses and cut funding for their schools, libraries and childcare,” Mamdani said in a video posted Sunday evening.

Trump and his billionaire donors might be able to determine Adams and Cuomo’s actions. But they won't decide this election.In just over 5 weeks, we'll turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas — and deliver a government every New Yorker can be proud of. pic.twitter.com/0UENxTENCO— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) September 28, 2025

Adams’ decision to end his reelection campaign points toward the end of a tumultuous term leading the largest city in the United States. His announcement also creates a more concentrated race to become the new mayor of New York City, making the race closer to an official one-on-one contest between Mamdani and Cuomo.
The post Eric Adams Drops Reelection Bid For New York City Mayor appeared first on Blavity.



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