NYC Mayor Adams to seek reelection as an independent

Mayor Adams drops out of Democratic primary

Mayor Eric Adams says he's not giving up—just shifting gears. A day after a federal case against him was dismissed, Adams announced on Good Day New York that he’ll no longer run in the Democratic primary, instead launching an independent campaign for re-election.

NEW YORK CITY - New York City Mayor Eric Adams has decided to seek reelection as an independent, announcing the decision in a Thursday morning post on X.

"Today, although 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," Adams said in the 6-minute-long video.

Mayor Adams to seek reelection as an independent

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has decided to seek reelection as an independent. FOX 5 NY's Briella Tomassetti has the details.

In the video, Adams said he will not run in the Democratic primary in June because the case "dragged on too long" while the "false accusations were held over me."

"I firmly believe that this city is better served by truly independent leadership, not leaders pulled at by the extremists at the far left or the far right, but instead those rooted in the common middle, the place where the vast majority of New Yorkers are firmly planted," Adams said.

The announcement comes after a federal judge on Wednesday threw out the corruption indictment against Adams, ending the first criminal case against a sitting city mayor in modern history. 

What they're saying:

"Today, Mayor Eric Adams officially declares his candidacy for re-election as an independent candidate for Mayor of New York City," Todd Shapiro, campaign spokesman for Adams, said in a statement.