NYC Mayor Eric Adams to Run for Reelection as an Independent

New York City Mayor Eric Adams withdrew Thursday from the Democratic primary and will instead pursue reelection as an independent, amid investigations of alleged bribery and liberal rage over his cozying up to President Donald Trump.

Adams explained that he opted out of the June Democratic primary because the now-dismissed criminal case “dragged on too long,” casting a shadow over his campaign and limiting his ability to connect with voters, the Mayor said in a video statement Thursday.

“I firmly believe that this city is better served by truly independent leadership, not leaders pulled at by the extremists at the far left or the far right, but instead those rooted in the common middle, the place where the vast majority of New Yorkers are firmly planted,” Adams said.

His choice comes after mounting speculation over whether he would remain in the Democratic contest, where he faced strong competition, including from former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

News of the move was first reported by Politico.

Speaking about his bribery accusations, Adams reaffirmed his innocence but acknowledged that the ordeal had shaken public trust and that he had placed confidence in the wrong individuals.

“I know that the accusations leveled against me may have shaken your confidence in me, and that you may rightly have questions about my conduct. And let me be clear, although the charges against me were false, I trusted people I should not have, and I regret that,” he stated.

A former police officer, Adams has governed as a centrist Democrat, often clashing with the city’s progressive faction.

His decision to run as an independent was met with immediate criticism from political rivals. Zohran Mamdani, a far-left, anti-Israel Democratic state assemblyman and mayoral candidate, condemned Adams, stating, “Regardless of what party Adams flees to, New Yorkers deserve better than a self-interested, disgraced mayor who has and always will put his needs before their own.”

Similarly, Democratic state Senator Zellnor Myrie characterized the situation as “a circus.”
Meanwhile, Jim Walden, a former prosecutor and independent candidate, promptly challenged Adams to a debate, arguing that the mayor’s decision was driven by “desperation, not principle.”