New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced he is dropping out of his 2025 re‑election campaign, conceding he cannot sustain a viable path forward. He made the announcement in a video statement, citing fundraising challenges, waning support, and mounting pressure.
Adams’ exit reshapes the New York mayoral contest into a head‑to‑head battle between Zohran Mamdani—the progressive Democrat now surging in polls—and Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent. Adams registered to run as an independent earlier this year after withdrawing from the Democratic primary.
In his announcement, Adams defended his record on crime, housing, and economic recovery, but conceded that ongoing scrutiny—from legal troubles to internal scandals—chipped away at his campaign’s viability. He also delivered a veiled warning about radicalism taking hold in local government, implicitly criticizing Mamdani’s progressive agenda.
Mamdani, the Queens assemblyman and self‑identified democratic socialist, offered a reaction that framed Adams’ departure as proof that the city is ready for bold, new leadership. “New York deserves better than trading one corrupt politician for another,” he said, promising to break from “the politics of big money and small ideas.”
With Adams out of active contention—though his name will remain on the ballot—the spotlight shifts to Mamdani and Cuomo.
