By Ariama C. Long
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, the second Black man to hold the position in the city’s history, has officially called it quits after a turbulent single term and a lackluster performance against the other candidates.
Adams, 65, had been running for re-election as an Independent candidate against Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, fellow Independent candidate and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.“Despite all we’ve achieved, I cannot continue my re-election campaign. The constant media speculation about my future and the Campaign Finance Board’s decision to withhold millions of dollars have undermined my ability to raise the funds needed for a serious campaign,” Adams said in a curated video post on X on Sunday. “I hope in time New Yorkers will see this city thrived under our leadership.”
Mayor Eric Adams
Beginning in 2023, Adams and his administration had been under intense federal scrutiny. Federal prosecutors were quietly investigating him and his “inner circle” because of alleged fraud in his 2021 mayoral campaign. A slew of Adams’ top officials and agency heads abruptly resigned from their positions over several months. Adams was finally indicted in 2024 on a five-count felony charge. However, after wading politically closer to President Donald Trump, a federal judge moved to dismiss his corruption case back in April 2025.
Throughout it all, Adams doggedly refused to resign.
Even though he had successfully beaten his corruption charges, the controversy put a significant dent on his chances of winning the Democratic primary in June 2025. Mamdani, popular with younger voters in the Five Boroughs with a message that addressed the high cost of living in New York, pulled off an upset and took the primary, leaving both Cuomo and Adams contemplating what would be next.