New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Sunday that he is dropping his third-party bid for re-election, narrowing the field for November’s election.
“Despite all we’ve achieved, I cannot continue my re-election campaign,” Adams said in a video posted to X. “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.”
In a nearly nine-minute video, Adams — who enjoyed strong ratings from New Yorkers early in his term but saw his standing plummet after being indicted on federal corruption charges and then seeing those charges dropped by the Trump administration — said he hoped New Yorkers “will see that despite the headlines and the innuendo, I always put you before me.”
A source close to the mayor said that Adams’ dropping out was “unfortunate,” noting that “his policies were best for this city.”
The question now is how Adams’ move shapes the mayoral race going forward in the nation’s biggest city.
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is also running a third-party bid for mayor, said in a statement shared first with NBC News that he believes Adams “is sincere in putting the well-being of New York City ahead of personal ambition.”
“We face destructive extremist forces that would devastate our city through incompetence or ignorance, but it is not too late to stop them,” said Cuomo, referencing without naming Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, a state legislator.
Cuomo praised Adams, saying that he “has much to be proud of in his accomplishments.”
“Whatever differences we may have, Eric Adams’ story is undeniably one of resilience — a testament to the spirit of this city,” Cuomo said.
Read the full NBC News report.
