NEW YORK (Diya TV) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday that he will abandon the city’s Democratic primary and instead run for reelection as an independent, a stunning reversal aimed at salvaging his political career after a federal bribery case and growing dismay among liberal Democrats.
In a video message on the web, Adams indicated his move followed the “long shadow” of a now-abandoned corruption indictment that prevented him from campaigning well. “I wanted to run in a Democratic primary, but I have to be realistic,” Adams stated. “Although the charges were meritless, they prevented me from speaking directly to New Yorkers.”
On Wednesday, a federal judge threw out the case, denying the Justice Department’s bid to reserve the right to refile the charges. U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho said that doing so would be to hold Adams’ legal destiny in abeyance due to his willingness to cooperate with the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
The case, initially brought during President Joe Biden’s administration, accused Adams of accepting improper gifts and travel perks in exchange for assisting Turkish officials with a diplomatic building project in Manhattan. The mayor pleaded not guilty and insisted on his innocence throughout the judicial process.
By avoiding the June primary, Adams puts himself directly into the November general election. But the move risks further splitting up New York City’s overwhelmingly Democratic voters and potentially makes his re-election campaign more complicated. His political standing has worsened in recent months due to fundraising challenges and exclusion from the city’s public campaign finance system.
In the meantime, several high-profile challengers have entered the contest, including former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Opposition backlash was swift. Democratic mayoral candidate State Sen. Zellnor Myire called the news “a circus.” Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani said Adams “will always put his needs first” ahead of voters.
Former federal prosecutor Jim Walden, a candidate running as an independent, challenged Adams to debate, calling the move “out of desperation, not principle.” Adams, a veteran cop turned Democrat who initially enrolled as a Republican, has governed as a moderate and, time and time again clashed with the city’s liberal faction.
