Amid growing speculation that Mayor Eric Adams may not be running for re-election, he brushed aside questions on Tuesday about some of his closest allies throwing their support behind former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Hizzoner, during a March 11 news conference at City Hall, insisted that he has not taken it personally that some of his key allies have defected to support Cuomo. Those figures include former Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., who endorsed Adams in 2021, and Assembly Member Eddie Gibbs (D-Manhattan). Another Adams ally, Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, is also reportedly considering a Cuomo endorsement.
“It’s politics; things happen in politics. One year, someone could say ‘he should step down as governor,’ next year, they’re standing up saying that ‘he should be mayor,'” Adams said in an apparent reference to Cuomo, who resigned in 2021 amid multiple sexual misconduct allegations, which he denies.
“You can’t take this personally,” he added. “You gotta move with it, do what you do.”
Cuomo, the current frontrunner in the race, has drawn a steady stream of endorsements from elected officials, unions, and political clubs since launching his campaign on March 1. Among those backing his campaign are US Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx), Teamsters Local 237, and the Staten Island Democratic Party.
When asked by amNewYork Metro whom he hopes will still support his re-election bid, Adams said the only backing he needs is from “the voters.”
“Endorsements don’t win races, knocking on doors do,” Adams said. “The people matter…I’m gonna get out there and do what I do well. I’m a solid, solid campaigner. I know how to articulate a message that’s clear to crisp, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Few signs of activity
Yet the mayor would not provide any details on when he will begin campaigning for re-election in earnest, just over three months ahead of the June 24 Democratic primary.
Adams does not currently have a campaign manager or any visible organization supporting his re-election. Furthermore, his fundraising has lagged after he was denied more than $4 million in public matching funds from the city Campaign Finance Board in December.
The mayor has also declined to attend a litany of candidates’ forums frequented by most of his challengers, with the exception of Cuomo.
While Adams said he will begin campaigning “very soon,” he declared there is no timetable by which he should be ramping up his bid, even though all candidates must gather and submit 3,750 petition signatures from registered voters by April 3 in order to appear on the ballot.
“I know what I’m doing,” Adams insisted Tuesday. “I’ve won before, and I’m going to put the chess in place, the chess game in place, and it’s not on anyone else’s timetable. It’s not because you want to see an indicator or someone else wants to see an indicator. No, I must put the strategy together just as I did the last time.”
While Adams insists he is still vying for re-election, his lack of a visible campaign apparatus has fueled speculation that he may not ultimately run, as multiple scandals have bogged down his mayoralty.
The mayor is reeling from the fallout of his federal indictment, the appearance that he is beholden to the Trump administration in exchange for dropping his charges, and a historically low job approval rating. His administration suffered a major blow with the resignation of four deputy mayors last month, most of whom he announced replacements for last week.
Adams has faced mounting calls to resign, and a recent Quinnipiac University poll found that 56% of New Yorkers think he should step down.
