In a race that was already bad, things just got worse.
Mayor Eric Adams stunned New York City on Sunday by announcing that he would not seek re-election. The move closes the book on a turbulent political chapter and sets up a lose-lose showdown between Muslim socialist Democrat Zohran Mamdani and former governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent. No word yet on whether Adams’ move was related to recent reports that the Trump administration was courting him for a role.
Adams explained his decision in a video message, citing the toll of federal investigations, fundraising struggles, and a loss of public trust. “This city is bigger than any one person,” he said.
Adams’ Decline in Numbers
Polls had already made clear how weak his position had become. A Quinnipiac survey in early 2025 put his approval rating at just 20 percent, among the lowest ever recorded for a New York City mayor. In another poll from Marist, nearly 70 percent of residents said he should resign. Even in the general election field, Adams was registering only 6 to 9 percent support, far behind the frontrunners.
The latest Emerson/PIX11/Hill poll had Mamdani at 43 percent, Cuomo at 28 percent, Adams at 8 percent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa at 10 percent. Those numbers showed that Adams was not just losing, but irrelevant in the final stretch.
What Happens Now
With Adams gone, Cuomo will work to consolidate the center-left and pick up disaffected Adams voters. Analysts say that could narrow the gap but may not be enough to topple Mamdani’s strong lead. Mamdani, the socialist-loving state assemblyman who won the Democratic nomination, has held a consistent advantage of 15 to 20 points over Cuomo in multiple surveys.
The risk for Mamdani is complacency. Cuomo now has a clear lane to present himself as the pragmatic choice for voters nervous about sweeping progressive policies. Business groups, unions, and centrist Democrats who once backed Adams may shift to Cuomo, giving him new life in a race that had seemed all but decided.
The Stakes
Adams’ exit clears the way for an unfortunate two-man contest that could further send the city into left-wing oblivion. A Mamdani victory would push New York into insanity, bringing big changes in housing, policing, and city spending. A Cuomo comeback would represent a return to establishment politics and the political resurrection of a man who let Seniors die in nursing homes during his failed COVID policies.
The real fight for City Hall is now between Mamdani and Cuomo, and the outcome will shape New York’s future far beyond 2025.
The best option for New York still lies with Republican Curtis Sliwa, though polls show him far from winning, given that he’s running against what amounts to two Democratic opponents.