NEW YORK, NY — Mayor Eric Adams announced Sunday that he is suspending his independent bid for re-election, dramatically reshaping the field just weeks before voters head to the polls.
“Despite everything we’ve accomplished, I cannot continue my re-election campaign,” Adams said in a video message posted to X. He pointed to relentless media speculation about his political future and a decision by the city’s Campaign Finance Board to withhold millions in matching funds, which he said crippled his ability to mount a competitive effort.
The move follows mounting rumors that Adams might bow out to help consolidate support for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is also running as a third-party candidate against Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani. While Adams’ name will still appear on ballots, because the deadline for changes has passed, recent polls showed him trailing far behind Mamdani, Cuomo, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.
President Donald Trump had also weighed in earlier this month, suggesting that two candidates should step aside to strengthen the chances of defeating Mamdani, who decisively beat Cuomo in June’s Democratic primary.
Adams, first elected as a Democrat in 2021, launched his re-election campaign as an independent after his support within his own party collapsed. His campaign was overshadowed by a federal indictment in September 2024 on bribery and campaign finance charges, which were later dropped by the Department of Justice under Trump, which said his cooperation was needed on immigration and deportation policy.
Adams’ withdrawal was first reported by The New York Post.
