NYC Mayor Eric Adams ends re-election bid

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has ended his re-election bid, abruptly exiting the race just over a month before voters head to the polls.

Adams announced his decision in a video posted on social media Sunday, citing “constant media speculation” about his future and the New York City Campaign Finance Board’s move to deny him millions in public matching funds as factors that crippled his campaign.

"I cannot continue my re-election campaign," Adams said. "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."

His withdrawal narrows the mayoral contest to three major candidates: Democrat Zohran Mamdani, widely seen as the frontrunner, former governor Andrew Cuomo, and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

Adams, who won office in 2022 as a Democrat, chose to run as an independent this cycle after a turbulent period marked by legal troubles and strained relations with his former party. He was indicted last year on charges of bribery and fraud, accused of accepting more than USD 100,000 in gifts from Turkish nationals. Though he denied wrongdoing and the Justice Department later ordered the case dropped, the allegations eroded his popularity and cast a shadow over his campaign.

In his withdrawal statement, Adams appeared to take aim at Mamdani, a self-described socialist, warning that "major change is welcome and necessary, but beware of those who claim the answer to destroy the very system we built together over generations. That is not change, that is chaos." He also cautioned that "insidious forces" were pushing "divisive agendas" into city politics.

Once considered a rising star in New York’s political landscape, Adams has faced growing criticism over the city’s rising cost of living and his combative stance toward the Biden administration’s handling of immigration. His decision earlier this year to run as an independent allowed him to bypass the Democratic primary, where Mamdani secured the nomination.

Despite suspending his campaign, Adams will remain on the November ballot, as the deadline to withdraw has already passed. He will continue serving as mayor until the end of his term on January 1.