Eric Adams, the mayor of New York City, announced Sunday that he is abandoning his faltering bid to win re-election, just over a month before election day. Adams announced his decision in a social media video set to the strains of My Way. On Sunday, Adams announced that he has dropped out of the mayoral race because of “constant media speculation about my future” and the “campaign finance board’s decision to withhold millions of dollars,” which he said “undermined” his ability to raise “the funds needed for a serious campaign.”

“Despite all we’ve achieved, I cannot continue my reelection campaign,” he said. Adams did not endorse any of the remaining candidates in the race, but he warned of “insidious forces” using local government to “advance divisive agendas.”

“That is not change, that is chaos," Adams said. "Instead, I urge New Yorkers to choose leaders not by what they promise, but by what they have delivered."

Adams, initially trailing in the polls, was elected as a Democrat. But later on, Eric Adams ran for re-election as an independent after facing federal corruption charges, which were ultimately dropped by the Trump administration in exchange for his cooperation on immigration raids.

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Eric Adams' exit to help Zohran Mamdani?

Adams’ withdrawal could give a boost to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s campaign. Cuomo, a fellow centrist, has positioned himself as the only candidate capable of defeating the Democratic nominee, state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani. However, it remains uncertain whether a significant number of Adams’ supporters will switch their support to Cuomo.

According to polls, Eric Adams decision to drop out of the upcoming mayoral race might reduce Zohran Mamdani's chance to lead in the election, though he is still likely to win by a large margin, reports NewsWeek. In the wake of Adams' decision, his supporters will have to decide who to back instead, affecting the outcome of the election.

If Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, wins the race, there will be a profound shift in city politics and policy priorities on critical issues for New Yorkers, from affordability and crime to the city's relationship with President Donald Trump and the national Democratic Party.

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What are the polls saying?

Multiple polls suggest that Eric Adams’ withdrawal from the race would largely benefit Mamdani’s main rival, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, although not enough to prevent Mamdani from maintaining a lead.

A Marist University poll conducted on September 16, two weeks before Adams exited, indicated that if the mayor left the race, Mamdani would capture 46% of likely voters’ support, while Cuomo would rise to 30%. With Adams still in the race, Mamdani had 45% support compared to Cuomo’s 24%, meaning his lead would shrink from 21 points to 16.

Similarly, a Quinnipiac University poll released on September 10 found that 45% of likely voters supported Mamdani, with 23% favoring Cuomo. If Adams dropped out, Mamdani’s share would increase slightly to 46%, while Cuomo’s would climb to 30%, reducing Mamdani’s lead from 22 points to 16.

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Adams’ departure comes amid declining popularity. He had broken with Democrats to run as an independent, following controversies including a federal corruption case alleging he accepted illegal campaign contributions from Turkish officials in exchange for political favors—a case later dismissed by a federal judge in April.

A CBS News/YouGov poll released September 15 showed Mamdani leading with 43% support to Cuomo’s 28%. If Adams’ voters shifted to their second choice, Mamdani’s share would rise to 44% and Cuomo’s to 30%.

Scott Lucas, who teaches international politics at University College Dublin told Newsweek: "Adams wasn't polling that strongly in the race so I don't see it as much as which way his voters go unless it is an extremely tight contest. I think the focus goes back to how effective are the two other candidates in the remaining weeks of the campaign." The mayoral election will take place on November 4. Adams will serve the remainder of his term in office, which ends on December 31.

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