Eric Adams launches reelection campaign in NYC mayoral race

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The race for New York City mayor is heating up, with Mayor Eric Adams officially launching his reelection campaign as an independent on Thursday afternoon.

Adams delivered a fiery speech from the steps of City Hall, surrounded by supporters and taking his case for reelection directly to the voters.

"I'm going to continue to bring down crime, launch a citywide mental health initiative, advance workforce development and vocational education," he said. "Expand housing faster than ever before to add on our great success."

Adams took aim at his Democratic challenger, Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, whose social media presence powered an extraordinary grassroots campaign and crushed the comeback of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

"They have a record of tweets, I have a record on these streets, a record of results, they talk about problems, I fix them, all right? That's the difference," Adams said. "You don't lead this city from a soapbox. You lead it from the ground, up."

Mamdani, he said, has no record. Adams insists he is running on his own, claiming that crime is trending lower and that the economy is bouncing back.

But he will need to defend his stance on immigration and his limited partnership with ICE.

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On Wednesday, Mamdani told Eyewitness News that Adams has some explaining to do.

"For too long we have seen leaders who are unwilling to fight back against what is an attack, not just on immigrants, but on the very fabric of the city in this country," Mamdani said. "And I am ready to do just that."

Adams is hoping to build a coalition of centrists, independents and even Republicans, people who have reservations about a socialist mayor.

Kathryn Wylde runs the city's largest business group, Partnership for New York City. She says Mamdani needs broaden his base to win in November, and to govern, if he does. If he does not, Mayor Adams has a chance to win reelection as an independent.

"This may breathe new life into his mayoralty as we focus on a general election in which he will very much be a player," Wylde said. "So I think that it would be premature to count Eric Adams out."

The mayoral primary is expected to be officially certified by July 15.