New York City Mayor Eric Adams is shifting strategies for his reelection campaign, opting to run as an independent instead of competing in the Democratic primary, a decision he announced Thursday on social media.
“I have always put New York’s people before politics and party — and I always will. I am running for mayor in the general election because our city needs independent leadership that understands working people,” Adams said in a post shared on X, formerly Twitter.
Adams vows to be a mayor for all New Yorkers
— Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) April 3, 2025
Adams’ party switch comes just one day after a federal judge dismissed bribery and wire fraud charges against him. He was indicted in September after prosecutors from the Southern District of New York accused him of seeking and accepting thousands of dollars and luxury international travel from wealthy Turkish nationals for nearly a decade, according to NBC News and Blavity.
Federal judge drops Adams’ case
“To the extent that the Government may be seeking to extract policy concessions from the Mayor, dismissal with prejudice rather than continuation of the prosecution best addresses that concern,” U.S. District Judge Dale Ho wrote in a 78-page order obtained by NBC News. “It ensures that going forward, the charges in the Indictment cannot be used as leverage over Mayor Adams or the City of New York.”
The Trump administration initially discussed dropping Adams’ charges in February, arguing that it would hinder the mayor from cracking down on immigration policies for the city. With the case behind him, Adams is focused on launching a campaign for New Yorkers of all parties.
“I’m in the race to the end. I’m not running on the Democratic line. It’s just not realistic to turn around my numbers and run a good campaign (from) where we are right now,” he told Politico, the first to report the news. “It hurts like hell.”
Adams has just three months to build a team and reconnect with New Yorkers, including a growing population of independent voters. While the city remains predominantly Democratic, a red wave surged in November. Still, some of Adams’ allies believe he can appeal to voters across party lines.
“The mayor’s going to set forth policy he believes is right (and) he’s going to do it with authenticity, regardless of whether it’s coming from the Trump administration (or) coming from traditional Democratic leadership,” his close friend and adviser Frank Carone said in an interview with Politico. “He is the mayor of New York City, not the mayor of the Democratic Party.”
The June 24 primary now features 12 Democratic candidates, with former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who announced his candidacy in March, leading the race. Adams criticized Cuomo for the rise in crime during the COVID-19 pandemic and the city’s controversial bail reform. He also accused the former governor, who resigned amid sexual assault allegations, of abandoning his duties and suggested he could do so again if another crisis arises.
“I never put my personal challenges in the way of delivering for New Yorkers,” Adams told Politico. “What happens the next time he has a personal crisis? Is he going to abandon the city?”
