New York Mayor Eric Adams drops re-election bid
NEW YORK: New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Sunday (Sep 28) announced he will not seek a second term, clearing the way for a likely showdown between Democrat Zohran Mamdani and former governor Andrew Cuomo.
Adams had been trailing far behind Mamdani and Cuomo, who is running as an independent, according to recent opinion polls. Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, has held a sizeable lead ahead of the Nov 4 election, while Adams has struggled to raise campaign funds.
"Despite all we've achieved, I cannot continue my re-election campaign," Adams said in a post on X.
Adams said he will serve out his term, which ends on Jan 1, 2026. “I will continue to fight for this city," he said.
FEARS OF A SPLIT VOTE
Mamdani’s rise has alarmed much of the New York business community and some within the Democratic Party, who had feared that Adams and Cuomo would split the opposition vote and ease his path to victory.
Adams, a former New York City police officer, has faced low approval ratings during his tenure leading America’s largest city. Recent polls put his support in the single digits, alongside Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.
President Donald Trump earlier this month urged Adams to quit the race, warning about the consequences of a Mamdani victory. Adams had insisted then that he would remain in the contest.
On Sunday, Adams appeared to take a swipe at Mamdani in his remarks.
"Major change is welcome and necessary, but beware of those who claim the answer is to destroy the very system we built together over generations,” Adams said. “That is not change, that is chaos."
