Eric Adams Ends NYC Re-Election Bid Amid Corruption Scandals/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ New York City Mayor Eric Adams has officially ended his bid for re-election, citing political headwinds and the aftermath of a federal corruption investigation. The decision comes as polls show him trailing and his support collapsing. With Adams out, attention now shifts to Andrew Cuomo, Zohran Mamdani, and Curtis Sliwa.
Eric Adams Campaign Exit Quick Looks
- Adams ends campaign amid scandal, poor fundraising, and collapsing support
- Cites federal probe and “media speculation” as reasons for withdrawal
- Does not endorse a candidate but warns against “divisive agendas”
- Cuomo and Mamdani now lead the race; Sliwa remains in as GOP contender
- Cuomo praises Adams; Mamdani slams both as “disgraced politicians”
- Adams had skipped Democratic primary to run as an independent
- Trump administration reportedly pressured Adams to exit race
- Hochul praises Adams’ leadership after his withdrawal
Eric Adams Ends NYC Re-Election Bid Amid Corruption Scandals
Deep Look
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has suspended his 2025 reelection campaign, marking a dramatic end to a tenure marred by scandal, internal political rifts, and federal investigations. Once a rising political figure who styled himself as a pragmatic, law-and-order Democrat, Adams now leaves behind a fractured city government and an uncertain political future.
In a video message posted to social media on Sunday, Adams, 65, acknowledged that while his administration had made progress, ongoing controversies and the lingering shadow of a now-dismissed federal bribery indictment made it impossible to continue. “Despite all we’ve achieved, I cannot continue my reelection campaign,” he said.
Adams made no endorsement but issued a stark warning about what he called “insidious forces” aiming to use local government for “divisive agendas.” He urged voters to support candidates based on performance rather than promises. “That is not change, that is chaos,” Adams said.
His decision clears a major obstacle in what has become one of New York’s most volatile mayoral races in decades. The contest now centers on three major contenders: progressive Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.
Cuomo, seeking a political comeback following his resignation over sexual harassment allegations, praised Adams for “putting the well-being of New York City ahead of personal ambition.” Cuomo has positioned himself as the only candidate capable of defeating Mamdani, who is running on an ambitious left-wing agenda to make the city more affordable and equitable.
Mamdani, 33, won the Democratic primary with a bold grassroots campaign focused on rent control, public housing, and transit equity. In a statement following Adams’ exit, he criticized Cuomo as “another disgraced, corrupt politician,” saying, “On November 4th, we are going to turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas.”
Curtis Sliwa remains in the race as the Republican nominee, though his campaign has been undermined by a lack of party support and a lukewarm endorsement from Donald Trump, who recently called him “not exactly prime time.”
Adams’ fall has been steady and public. Once considered a strong contender for a second term, his campaign faltered amid mounting criticism from both the left and right. He was dogged by his decision to bypass the Democratic primary, choosing instead to run as an independent, and alienated many Democrats by warming up to President Trump after the 2024 election.
Polling numbers confirmed Adams’ declining support. Surveys conducted in early September by The New York Times/Siena College and Quinnipiac University found Mamdani leading, with Cuomo gaining momentum and Adams slipping into fourth place. The same polls suggested that Adams’ departure could narrow the gap between Cuomo and Mamdani, though it remains unclear if Cuomo can consolidate enough centrist votes.
Behind the scenes, Adams had reportedly been approached by members of Trump’s administration seeking to convince him to step aside in favor of a Cuomo-Mamdani head-to-head contest. These intermediaries were said to have offered Adams a potential federal appointment. He initially resisted, holding a press conference where he attacked Cuomo and Mamdani as “spoiled brats” and later calling Cuomo “a liar and a snake” on social media.
Adams’ mayoralty was defined by a hard pivot toward public safety and business-friendly policies, but his achievements were consistently overshadowed by controversy. Though crime fell during his tenure, critics noted that the drop mirrored nationwide trends and could not be solely credited to his policies.
The major blow came in late 2024 when federal prosecutors charged Adams with accepting bribes and illegal campaign donations from Turkish officials and business entities. Though those charges were dropped by the Trump-led Justice Department in early 2025, the damage to Adams’ reputation had already been done. The unusual nature of the DOJ’s intervention led many to suspect a political deal had been brokered behind the scenes.
Further compounding his woes, several top aides were forced out amid corruption probes. His police commissioner, school chancellor, and multiple deputy mayors resigned during a chaotic few weeks marked by FBI raids. Though none were formally charged, the optics severely weakened Adams’ authority.
More recently, two of his campaign aides faced separate bribery scandals. One was caught handing a potato chip bag full of cash to a journalist, and another was charged in a kickback scheme tied to city contracts. These incidents only reinforced public perception of Adams’ administration as corrupt and unstable.
Despite everything, Adams retained a base of support among moderate voters, particularly in outer-borough communities where his emphasis on policing and economic development resonated. But that support eroded under the weight of scandal, failed outreach to progressives, and a lack of party unity.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who has endorsed Mamdani, praised Adams after his announcement, saying he left the city “better than he inherited it.”
Adams is now the first sitting New York City mayor in decades to drop out of a reelection campaign. His departure resets the 2025 race, setting the stage for a showdown between Cuomo and Mamdani — a contest likely to test the soul and future direction of the nation’s largest city.
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