In a video message on Sunday, September 28th, New York City Mayor Eric Adams officially ended his re-election campaign. Adams pointed to “constant media speculation,” challenges in fundraising after the Campaign Finance Board withheld public matching funds, and lingering doubts tied to his dismissed federal case as central to his choice.
He also issued a broader warning in his announcement: “Extremism is growing in our politics … Beware of those who claim the answer is to destroy the very system we built together over generations. That is not change. That is chaos.”
Though his name will remain on the November ballot, Adams’s exit reshapes the race, narrowing the field to just three candidates – Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, former Governor Andrew Cuomo (running as an independent), and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Mamdani responded by saying the contest remains between his campaign and what he called “failed politics that we’ve seen, whether it’s Andrew Cuomo or Eric Adams,” adding that “Donald Trump and billionaire donors are determining the actions of failed executives.”
Cuomo, speaking outside a Queens event, praised Adams’s decision as putting the city ahead of personal ambition. He framed the mayor’s withdrawal as shifting the race into a head-to-head choice, saying Adams’s exit “changes the entire dynamic of the race.” Cuomo is hoping that many of Adams’ supporters will now support his campaign instead, allowing him to close the over 20-point gap between him and Mamdani. Adams’ First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro has endorsed Cuomo.
However, it is still yet to be seen just how much Adams’ withdrawal will impact the race, given that, as of this writing, no polling has been released reflecting Adams’ exit.