CV NEWS FEED // New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday that he will run for reelection as an independent this November, bypassing the Democratic primary.
In a 6-minute video posted to social media, Adams stressed the need for “independent leadership” and pointed to the now-dismissed bribery case that, he says, hampered his ability to campaign.
“I truly believe that this city is better served by truly independent leadership,” Adams said. “Not leaders pulled at by the extremists at the far-left or the far-right, but instead, those rooted in the common middle–the place where the vast majority of New Yorkers are firmly planted.”
— Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) April 3, 2025
The announcement came just hours after a judge formally dismissed corruption charges against Adams, who had been accused of taking illegal campaign contributions from Turkish nationals.
Adams consistently denied the allegations, saying they were “based on lies” and refusing calls to resign.
“Let me be clear: Although the charges against me were false, I trusted people that I should not have and I regret that,” he said Thursday.
Adams, known for his centrist approach, declared he has “always put New York’s people before politics and party.”
He echoed that message in a January interview with conservative host Tucker Carlson, saying: “People often say, ‘You don’t sound like a Democrat.’ No, the party left me, and it left working-class people.”
In recent months, Adams has distanced himself from the Biden administration, criticizing its failed border policies and working alongside Trump Border Czar Tom Homan to address the migrant crisis.
“We need to secure our border,” Adams said late February. “There’s nothing humane about having individuals into the country with no place to go, no sponsors here, no ability to take care of themselves. And pushing the cost of it onto cities is just wrong.”
Politico, which first reported on Adams’ independent bid, quoted longtime adviser Frank Carone defending the decision.
“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,” Carone said. “He is the mayor of New York City, not the mayor of the Democratic Party.”