Courtesy NYC.Gov
Adams Exits, Mayoral Contest Heats Up
By MOHAMED FARGHALY
mfarghaly@queensledger.com
Mayor Eric Adams announced on September 28 that he is ending his third-party bid for re-election, narrowing the field in the race to lead the nation’s largest city.
“Despite all we’ve achieved, I cannot continue my re-election campaign,” Adams said in a video posted on social media on Sunday. “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, a lifelong New Yorker, rose from a childhood in Brownsville and South Jamaica to a career in public service that spanned four decades. He served as an NYPD officer and co-founded 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care, later representing Brooklyn in the State Senate and becoming the borough’s first Black borough president. In 2021, he was elected the city’s 110th mayor, campaigning on public safety, equity, and economic recovery.
“Who would have thought that a kid from South Jamaica, Queens — growing up with learning disabilities — could one day become the mayor of the greatest city in the world?” he said.
The mayor touted achievements including record housing construction, a drop in shootings and murders, higher test scores and school attendance, and record job growth. “We lowered costs for working- and low-income families — expanding funding for rental vouchers, childcare, and household costs, while eliminating the income tax burden for more than half a million New Yorkers,” Adams said.
During his tenure, Mayor Eric Adams pointed to progress on public safety, economic recovery, and livability across New York City. His administration oversaw double-digit decreases in murders, shootings and burglaries, removed more than 15,000 illegal guns from city streets, and added 1,000 officers to the subway system, cutting transit crime by nearly a quarter. The city recovered all jobs lost during the pandemic and added nearly 300,000 more, while raising wages for delivery workers and nonprofit employees and launching a $2 billion plan to cancel medical debt. Adams also touted record-breaking affordable housing development, a landmark transformation of Willets Point, expanded child care access, and initiatives to make streets safer and cleaner — from pedestrian redesigns to trash containerization. He framed these efforts as part of a broader push to build a safer, more affordable, and more livable city for working New Yorkers.
But Adams’ accomplishments were often overshadowed by his federal corruption indictment, which — though later dropped by the Trump administration — left a lasting mark on his approval ratings and campaign prospects. Despite repeatedly insisting he would stay in the race, his campaign was hobbled by the loss of millions in public matching funds, poor fundraising, and record-low approval ratings.
“I also know some remain unsure of me after the unfortunate events surrounding my federal case. 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,” Adams said.
His exit comes after Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani’s Democratic primary win over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is now running as a third-party candidate. Adams’ withdrawal could help consolidate support behind Cuomo, though his name will still appear on the November ballot because the deadline to remove candidates has passed. Limited polling has shown Cuomo benefiting most from Adams’ absence, though Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa also stands to gain.
Adams acknowledged his departure would reshape the race but pledged to keep working for New Yorkers until the end of his term. “Although this is the end of my reelection campaign, it is not the end of my public service,” he said. “I will continue to fight for this city — as I have for 40 years, since the day I joined the NYPD to make our streets safer and our systems fairer.”
The mayor warned against rising extremism in politics and urged voters to focus on results over rhetoric. “Beware of those who claim the answer is to destroy the very systems we built together over generations. That is not change. That is chaos,” Adams said.
“My fellow New Yorkers: this is your city. Its leaders work for you. I am one of you. My story is your story. I lived the struggle, but I never stopped loving this city,” Adams said. “That is why I ran for mayor — to turn my pain into purpose. And I will keep fighting for this city no matter what, from City Hall or beyond.”
With Adams out, November’s mayoral race is set to intensify, carrying high stakes for New York City’s future as residents weigh questions of safety, affordability, and leadership in the nation’s largest city.
