New York Mayor Eric Adams reportedly will announce on Sunday that he plans to drop out of his campaign for a second term, throwing the race into a spin just five weeks ahead of Election Day, according to the New York Times.
According to a pair of sources who spoke to the paper, Adams has been exploring exit options to avoid a potentially embarrassing defeat. He was reportedly discussing a potential job in the Trump Administration as an ambassador to Saudi Arabia, but those talks ultimately fell apart, according to the Times.
The sources told the paper that Adams blamed “repeated rumors of my departure” and a decision made by the city’s Campaign Finance Board refusing to provide him with matching funds to fuel his campaign as primary motivators for his decision.
He is expected to make an address that, without naming them directly, advises voters to treat both Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee and front-runner, and former New York Governor. Andrew Cuomo, who is running third party, with suspicion.
Without naming Mamdani, Adams’ remarks warns that the democratic socialist represents “insidious forces” planning to push “radical, divisive agendas” in the city.
Polling has consistently seen Adams in the single digits, making his path to victory unlikely as votes are split between the other candidates. It’s likely that those who would have voted for Adams will instead move towards Cuomo, potentially infusing the disgraced governor’s campaign with energy in the run up to the election.
