In a surprising turn of events, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has declared his intention to run for re-election as an independent, despite his affiliation with the Democratic Party.
This announcement comes a day after a judge dismissed federal corruption charges against him, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Adams, who remains a Democrat, plans to establish a new party focusing on public safety. This strategic move means he will bypass the Democratic Party's primary election in June, where he would have faced a multitude of competitors. Instead, he will run independently in the November general election.
"More than 25,000 New Yorkers signed my Democratic primary petition, but the dismissal of the bogus case against me dragged on too long, making it impossible to mount a primary campaign while these false accusations were held over me," Adams stated in a video announcement. He continued, "But I'm not a quitter. I'm a New Yorker. And that is why today, although I am still a Democrat, I am announcing that I will forgo the Democratic primary for mayor and appeal directly to all New Yorkers as an independent candidate in the general election."
In the same video, Adams addressed the corruption allegations, admitting to some mistakes while maintaining his innocence. "I know that the accusations leveled against me may have shaken your confidence in me and that you may rightly have questions about my conduct," he said. "Let me be clear, although the charges against me were false, I trusted people that I should not have and I regret that."
Frank Carone, a close adviser to Adams, told The Wall Street Journal that this change in strategy will allow Adams more time to launch his campaign after months spent battling the criminal case. "Now he is going to use every moment to bring his message to New Yorkers," Carone said.
Adams had kept his campaign plans under wraps until the charges against him were dropped at the request of the Justice Department. The department argued that the proceedings were distracting him from running the city and assisting President Donald Trump in his fight against crime and illegal immigration.
Meanwhile, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is leading the June primary. If he wins, he will face Adams and the eventual Republican nominee in the fall. Carone revealed that Adams plans to campaign on the successes of his administration, including the city's recovery from the COVID pandemic. Adams, a former New York City Police Department officer, also intends to highlight the city's decrease in violent crime under his leadership.
To appear on the November ballot under a new party, Adams must gather 3,750 petition signatures by the end of May, as per state election laws. His strategists hope that the general election will draw centrist Democrats and Republicans to support him, given that mayoral races in deep-blue New York City often go to the winner of the Democratic Party's primary.
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