New York Mayor Eric Adams dashed speculation Friday that he would abandon his reelection bid, casting himself as the only candidate who can defeat Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani.
The mayor also accused former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, like Adams a Democrat running as an independent in November’s race, of making a career of squeezing Black candidates out of elections.
“No matter what I have stated over and over publicly, I want to be clear to you,” Adams told reporters. “Andrew Cuomo is a snake and a liar. I am in this race and I’m the only one that can beat Mamdani.
“Andrew has had a career of pushing Black candidates out of races. You’ve heard me say it all over again. Carl McCall, Charlie King, David Paterson. This is his career. It must stop with me.”
Adams was referring to McCall’s loss to Republican George Pataki in the 2002 gubernatorial election after a contentious Democratic primary against Cuomo, plus Paterson’s troubled governorship along with King dropping out of the 2006 attorney general’s race that Cuomo won.
There had been widespread speculation that Adams would drop out of this race because Cuomo is viewed by some as having the best chance to defeat Mamdani, a surprise winner in the Democratic primary. Advisers to President Donald Trump have reportedly discussed nominating Adams as ambassador to Saudi Arabia to persuade him to exit the race.
An Adams spokesman told Newsmax earlier Friday that he was committed to seeking a second term, defying speculation that he could be in line for a federal post. Meanwhile, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa has also said he’s not bowing out.
“This city can’t go backward, New Yorkers,” Adams told reporters. “I committed myself and dedicated myself to a city that I love, and I’m going to continue to do that.”
Adams then referred to Cuomo and Mamdani as “two spoiled brats running for mayor.”
“They were born with silver spoons in their mouths, not like working-class New Yorkers,” he said, without mentioning Sliwa. “I’m a working-class New Yorker. They are not like us. They’ve never had to fight, they never had to struggle, they never had to go through difficult times like you and I had to go through, New Yorkers.
“This is such a pivotal and important period that we have to get it right.”
Adams dismissed reports he would be in Washington on Monday to meet with White House aides to discuss his political future.
“Those reports are wrong,” he said. “I’m not. I’ll be moving around the city in the five boroughs that made me mayor in the first place. I’m running for reelection and I’m going to tell New Yorkers every day why I believe I should be the mayor of the city of New York in 2026.”
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