Mayor Adams plans to run for re-election as an independent, will not take part in Democratic primary
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Thursday was the deadline to qualify for the New York City mayoral forum and Democratic primary election, but Mayor Eric Adams is now planning to run as an independent.
There's a crowded field of Democratic candidates looking to deny Mayor Eric Adams a second term.
From the council speaker, state senators, former assemblymen, and a former governor, the candidates believe they have what it takes to move the city forward and in the right direction.
Adams had said he wouldn't campaign until the federal charges were dropped against him, which came to fruition on Wednesday.
Judge Dale Ho tossed Adams' criminal indictment with prejudice, meaning they won't see the light of day in a courtroom.
With the charges being dropped just one day before the deadline, Mayor Adams said, he just didn't feel there was enough time to mount a campaign as a Democrat.
"The dismissal of the bogus case against me dragged on too long, making it impossible to mount a primary campaign while these false allegations were held over me," Adams said. "But I'm not a quitter. I'm a New Yorker. That is why today, though 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."
The mayor said he had more than 25,000 signatures of registered voters to submit by Thursday's deadline to qualify for the June 24 primary.
Instead, plans to submit the the necessary 3,750 signatures by May 27 to secure a November ballot spot as an independent.
But moving to the independent ticket may help Adams, according to political analyst David Birdsell.
"It takes him out of direct contention early with Andrew Cuomo, but it gives him a runway that goes all the way to November," Birdsell said. "He doesn't have to contest a primary."
But Adams now has to regain the trust of New Yorkers and get voters to look past his legal struggles. He's hoping they look to his record on improving crime and housing affordability.
"They're asking me about the quality of life issues that impacts their lives, I lived up to that and I'm going to back to that and remind them of why they voted for me in the first place," Adams said.
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