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Mayor Eric Adams announced Sunday that he is ending his re-election campaign, a stunning decision that all but ensures he will become New York City’s first one-term mayor in more than three decades.
“It has been my honor to be your mayor,” Adams said in a nine-minute video posted to social media. “We took that victory four years ago and turned it into action, making this city better for those who have been failed by government.”
The mayor attributed his withdrawal to a combination of financial obstacles, negative press coverage, and the lingering shadow of a now-dismissed federal bribery case.
“Despite all we’ve achieved, I cannot continue my re-election campaign,” Adams said. “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.”
A fractured political landscape
Adams’ decision marks the collapse of what had once been a formidable political rise — from Brooklyn Borough President to the city’s top job. His departure leaves a crowded general election field led by Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, who handily defeated Adams in the June primary, and independent candidate Andrew Cuomo, the former governor.
Rather than endorse any successor, Adams issued a pointed warning seemingly aimed at Mamdani.
“Beware of those who claim the answer is to destroy the very system we built together over generations,” he said.
Moderate Democrats and Trump-aligned operatives had reportedly been lobbying Adams to exit the race in hopes of consolidating support behind Cuomo. Yet with Adams polling under 10 percent, analysts say his withdrawal is unlikely to dramatically alter the race’s outcome.
Collapse of a comeback
Just a month ago, Adams insisted he would not back down. But his campaign faltered under financial strain and the fallout from his 2024 indictment — a case federal prosecutors ultimately dropped this spring after an extraordinary intervention by the Trump administration.
The dismissal, which prompted resignations within the Justice Department and raised allegations of political favoritism, further eroded Adams’ credibility among city voters. His approval rating never recovered from the scandal, falling to a record low of 28 percent by late 2023.
The Campaign Finance Board later denied Adams millions in matching funds, citing concerns over ongoing investigations into his campaign finances. Without that money, his campaign effectively ran out of runway.
Blaming the media, hinting at a return
In his farewell address, Adams struck a defiant tone, criticizing what he described as biased coverage of his administration.
“Normally, your opponents do the television and the newspaper ads to try to stop you from running — it’s just the opposite for me,” he said. “I feel as though I’m running against the media.”
Still, Adams signaled that his political career is far from over. “Although this is the end of my re-election campaign, it’s not the end of my public service,” he said. “I will continue to fight for this city, as I have for 40 years.”
Campaign chair Frank Carone echoed that sentiment. “This isn’t the end but a pivot,” he said, suggesting Adams could pursue future roles after leaving office in December.
Mamdani ties Adams to Cuomo
Reacting to the announcement, Mamdani sought to link Adams’ downfall to Cuomo’s independent bid.
“The billionaire-backed politics which found its home in Eric Adams is finding its home in Andrew Cuomo today,” Mamdani told supporters in Brooklyn. “He is running for that second term.”
Mamdani added that Adams’ exit won’t change his approach. “We are going to run the same race — focused not on our opponents, but on New Yorkers who’ve been left behind by their politics.”
While Adams’ term ends amid scandal and low approval ratings, his exit underscores a broader reckoning in New York City politics — one shaped by distrust, fatigue, and shifting alliances in a city still recovering from years of political turmoil.
