New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams introduced Sunday he’s suspending his marketing campaign for mayor, simply weeks away from the intently watched election.
Adams introduced his choice in a video on X.
The mayor, operating as an impartial, resisted calls to drop out beforehand from opponents of Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, who had been involved he and impartial candidate former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who misplaced the Democratic main and is operating as an impartial, would cut up the vote.
Adams has been polling behind Mamdani, Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.
New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams arrives to attend the eightieth United Nations Basic Meeting in New York Metropolis on Sept. 26, 2025.
Kylie Cooper/Reuters
ABC Information beforehand reported that it’s too late for Adams’s identify to be faraway from the poll. His identify will stay, as will fellow lengthy shot candidate Jim Walden, who additionally suspended his marketing campaign and final week endorsed Cuomo.
Adams’ choice follows an order Friday from the Manhattan federal decide who oversaw Adams’ felony case.
Decide Dale Ho agreed so as to add the town’s Marketing campaign Finance Board as an celebration within the now-dismissed corruption matter. The CFB requested to be added so it may evaluate the case earlier than deciding whether or not to award matching funds to the Adams marketing campaign.
The decide’s order granting the request made clear to the mayor and his marketing campaign advisers that it might be unlikely they’d obtain public cash to match the practically $4 million Adams has raised.
Adams was indicted in September 2024 on 5 counts in an alleged long-standing conspiracy linked to what prosecutors mentioned had been improper advantages, unlawful marketing campaign contributions and an tried coverup.
The fees towards the mayor — together with counts of wire fraud, conspiracy, bribery and solicitation of a contribution from a international entity — had been dropped towards him in April by the U.S. Justice Division in what his critics claimed was a quid professional quo with the Trump administration.
Adams and the Justice Division denied there was a quid professional quo concerned within the dropping of the fees.
Advisers for President Donald Trump had been in touch with Adams to steer him to drop out of the race and provided him positions within the administration, together with an envoy put up in Saudi Arabia, sources advised ABC Information.
Trump and Adams each denied experiences of these conferences. Nevertheless, Trump has been vocal that candidates ought to drop out to restrict the variety of challengers towards Mamdani.
Adams mentioned in his announcement he couldn’t proceed his bid due to what he mentioned was media hypothesis and funds withheld by the CFB “have undermined my skill to lift the funds wanted for a severe marketing campaign.”
“Once I was elected to function your mayor, I mentioned these phrases: This marketing campaign was by no means about me. It was in regards to the folks of this metropolis — from each neighborhood and background — who had been left behind and believed they’d by no means catch up. This marketing campaign was for the underserved, the marginalized, the deserted and betrayed by authorities,” Adams mentioned within the video.
“Since then, it has been my honor to be your mayor. And I’m proud to say that we took that victory 4 years in the past and turned it into motion — making this metropolis higher for individuals who had been failed by authorities.”
Adams additionally indicated he’ll serve out the remainder of his time period in workplace.
“Though that is the tip of my reelection marketing campaign, it isn’t the tip of my public service. I’ll proceed to struggle for this metropolis — as I’ve for 40 years, because the day I joined the NYPD to make our streets safer and our programs fairer,” he mentioned.
Adams didn’t endorse any candidate for mayor in his announcement.
Mamdani wrote in an announcement reacting to Adams’ withdrawal, “Donald Trump and his billionaire donors may have the ability to decide Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo’s actions however they won’t dictate the outcomes of this election. New York deserves higher than buying and selling in a single disgraced, corrupt politician for an additional. On November 4th, we’re going to flip the web page on the politics of massive cash and small concepts and ship a authorities each New Yorker will be happy with.”
Cuomo mentioned in an announcement Sunday that Adams’s option to drop out “was not a straightforward one, however I consider he’s honest in placing the well-being of New York Metropolis forward of non-public ambition.”
“We face harmful extremist forces that might devastate our metropolis by means of incompetence or ignorance, however it isn’t too late to cease them,” Cuomo wrote.
The previous governor added, “Mayor Adams has a lot to be happy with in his accomplishments. Solely in New York can a toddler raised in a tenement in Bushwick, who as soon as labored as a squeegee boy and a mailroom clerk, rise to turn out to be mayor. No matter variations we could have, Eric Adams’ story is undeniably considered one of resilience — a testomony to the spirit of this metropolis.”
A spokesperson for Sliwa wrote, “Curtis Sliwa is the one candidate who can defeat Mamdani. Our staff, our assets, and our funding are unmatched. Most significantly, we have now the most effective options to assist working folks afford to remain in New York Metropolis and really feel protected.”
Metropolis Corridor employees members had been knowledgeable of the mayor’s choice just some moments earlier than the marketing campaign launched Adams’ assertion. Adams gave no indication that he has a job lined up after he leaves workplace. A supply near the mayor was unaware of a job being provided.
ABC Information’ Aaron Katersky contributed to this report.
