With simply 36 days earlier than voters may have kicked him out themselves, New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams spared himself the humiliation. On Sunday, he introduced he’s abandoning his marketing campaign for a second time period—a race he by no means stood an opportunity at profitable.
In a virtually nine-minute video set to Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” Adams admitted there was no path to reelection and stated he’d wrap up his rocky tenure at yr’s finish.
“Despite all we’ve achieved,” he stated, “I cannot continue my reelection campaign.”
Fairly than personal his scandals—bribery allegations federal prosecutors dropped earlier this yr after what seemed like a quid professional quo with President Donald Trump, or the adviser caught making an attempt to bribe a reporter final month—Adams blamed “continued media speculation” and the town’s Marketing campaign Finance Board for denying him matching funds as the ultimate nails within the coffin.
Democrat mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani
Adams’ marketing campaign had been caught within the single digits for months, with democratic socialist Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani operating away with the race—even with out totally consolidating assist amongst New York’s institution Democrats. However the mayor didn’t endorse Mamdani—or anybody else—on his approach out. As an alternative, he issued a warning about what he referred to as “insidious forces” pushing “divisive agendas” and radicalizing younger individuals to “hate our city and our country.”
“Major change is welcome and necessary,” Adams stated. “But beware of those who claim the answer is to destroy the very system we built together over generations.”
He additionally dialed again some assaults. Based on remarks he had ready for The New York Occasions, Adams initially deliberate to blast Andrew Cuomo—who resigned as governor in 2021 after quite a few sexual harassment allegations and is now operating as an unbiased after shedding the Democratic major—calling him “a snake and a liar.” The reduce traces may imply Adams would possibly find yourself backing Cuomo earlier than the November election.
The choice to give up ends weeks of behind-the-scenes scrambling. Publicly, Adams insisted he’d keep within the race. Privately, he was searching for an exit ramp—together with a potential ambassadorship to Saudi Arabia. Adams even flew to Florida in early September to satisfy with billionaire Trump adviser Steve Witkoff concerning the position, however Trump’s crew killed the talks after they leaked to the press. Trump by no means prolonged a proposal.
Adams had additionally courted enterprise leaders about potential jobs within the non-public sector to ease his approach out. It’s unclear whether or not any formal offers have been struck. By means of all of it, he vowed to maintain operating—till, in latest days, he started workshopping a story that shifted the blame for his failing marketing campaign onto outdoors forces.
Andrew Cuomo
His departure doesn’t simply clear the sphere—it may reshape the race. Trump has been overtly agitating for Adams and GOP candidate Curtis Sliwa to drop out, in an effort to consolidate opposition to Mamdani, even threatening (once more, on Monday morning) to withhold federal funding from New York Metropolis if Mamdani wins.
Now, Cuomo sees a gap. Based on the Occasions, he’s banking on peeling away assist from Black and Orthodox Jewish voters who had backed Adams, whereas unlocking six- and seven-figure donations from enterprise leaders who had stayed on the sidelines. However with so little time left, catching Mamdani received’t be straightforward. Polls present Adams’ supporters are too few to shift the race radically.
Cuomo, who’s polling second, may achieve floor if he convinces Sliwa to drop out as effectively. However Sliwa has refused all entreaties—even from Trump, who dismissed him as an unserious candidate.
Mamdani, in the meantime, is prepared for November. In a Sunday video, he mocked each Adams and Cuomo.
“To Andrew Cuomo, you got your wish: You wanted Trump and your billionaire friends to help you clear the field,” he stated. “But don’t forget, you wanted me as your opponent in the primary, too, and we beat you by 13 points. Looking forward to doing it again on November 4th.”
x
Trump and his billionaire donors would possibly be capable to decide Adams and Cuomo’s actions. However they will not resolve this election.
In simply over 5 weeks, we’ll flip the web page on the politics of massive cash and small concepts — and ship a authorities each New Yorker might be pleased with.
[image or embed]
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social) September 28, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Cuomo struck a extra sober tone, praising Adams’s resolution and insisting it “changes the entire dynamic of the race.”
“We are facing an existential threat in an extreme radicalism that threatens the existence of this city as we know it,” he stated.
Then there was Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, who hasn’t endorsed Mamdani however took a second on Sunday to reward Adams for his lengthy service.
“Eric Adams has served courageously and authentically for decades as a Member of the NYPD, the New York State Senate, in Brooklyn Borough Hall, and as our 110th Mayor,” Jeffries stated, in line with a number of media reviews.
Adams, a former police captain who as soon as appeared poised to revive order to post-COVID New York, leaves behind a combined legacy: falling crime charges and a resurgent financial system, but in addition relentless scandal and a metropolis that had grown weary of his bluster.
Even in his farewell, Adams tried to sound upbeat. Sitting on the steps of Gracie Mansion subsequent to a photograph of his mom, he ticked off accomplishments and insisted he’d been “wrongfully charged because I fought for this city.”
“I hope that, over time, New Yorkers will see that this city thrived under our leadership,” he stated.
We noticed this coming. Adams could also be gone, however that doesn’t make the trail to victory any simpler for Mamdani’s rivals. So lengthy, Eric.
