New York City Mayor Eric Adams has abandoned his faltering bid for re-election, announcing his withdrawal in a social media video set to the tune of My Way. The decision comes just over a month before election day, with Adams trailing in the polls after being indicted on federal corruption charges, which were later dropped by the Trump administration in exchange for his cooperation on immigration raids.
In his video, seated beside a photograph of his late mother, Adams blamed “constant media speculation about my future” and the city’s campaign finance board withholding millions in matching funds. He acknowledged losing the trust of some New Yorkers but insisted the charges were unjust, saying, “I was wrongfully charged because I fought for this city.”
Adams will serve the remainder of his term until New Year’s Eve, and his name remains on the November ballot as the deadline for removal has passed. His withdrawal narrows the race to a three-way contest between Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.
Three weeks ago, when Adams insisted he would stay in the race amid reports of an offered ambassadorship, he called Cuomo “a snake and a liar.” After the withdrawal, Cuomo praised Adams for “putting the well-being of New York City ahead of personal ambition” and warned against “destructive extremist forces.” Mamdani responded with his own video, criticising Adams and vowing to defeat Cuomo again, reminding him that he beat Cuomo by 13 points in the primary.
Mamdani later told MSNBC that Donald Trump and his “billionaire donors” would not dictate the election result. He also posted video of a Black pastor welcoming him to a megachurch, noting that the late Mayor David Dinkins was also a democratic socialist. Sliwa said he had turned down multiple offers to end his campaign. Recent polls show Mamdani leading Cuomo by more than 20 points, even in a race without Adams.
