Our Bureau
New York, NY
In a sudden turn of events, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on September 28, 2025, that he is dropping out of the bid for a second term—less than six weeks before the November election. Adams released a video statement on social media in which he cited relentless media scrutiny, fundraising hurdles, and the withholding of public matching funds as key factors undermining his ability to continue a viable campaign.
While announcing his decision to drop out of reelection, Eric Adams said, “This campaign was for the underserved, the marginalized, the abandoned and betrayed by government. Since then, it has been my honor to be your mayor, and I’m proud to say that we took that victory four years ago and turned it into action, making this city better for those who have been failed by government.”
Adams had planned to run as an independent after bypassing the Democratic primary. Now, with his exit, the race opens up for other contenders, including Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, former Governor Andrew Cuomo (running as an independent), and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Cuomo, who leapt into the race following the Democratic primary, may benefit from the consolidation of anti-Mamdani support and Black voters after the exit of Adams. Cuomo praised Adams for keeping the well-being of New York City ahead of his personal ambition.
With President Trump being a native New Yorker, he is personally getting involved in narrowing down the mayoral race for New York City. Trump is favoring Cuomo and even suggested that Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa should step out of the race.
However, Democrats at the national and state levels are consolidating around Mamdani, partly because of the renewed focus exhibited by Donald Trump in favor of Cuomo. Former Vice President Kamala Harris and New York Governor Kathy Hochul have already endorsed Mamdani for the NYC mayoral post.
Following Adams’ withdrawal, Mamdani stated that while Donald Trump and wealthy donors may influence the decisions of Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo, they will not control the outcome of this election. He added, “New York deserves better than trading in one disgraced, corrupt politician for another.”
Though Adams will not seek a second term, Adams exit reshapes New York City’s political landscape and signals a significant shift in leadership for the nation’s largest metropolis. However, this decision ensures that New York City is set to have its first one-term mayor since David Dinkins in the early 1990s.
This reminds me of Joe Biden waiting until the last second to announce he isn’t running. New York voters already let him know that they didn’t want him for a second term.