Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani Shares Reaction to Eric Adams Leaving the Race
In a surprising turn of events, Eric Adams, the current New York Mayor, has decided to step down from the mayoral race. This sudden decision comes after weeks of intense pressure from the former president and powerful New York business figures. Their aim was to strengthen the campaign of Andrew Cuomo, the scandal-ridden former governor. Now running as an independent, Cuomo is falling behind Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist who shocked everyone when he won over Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary last June. Rumors have been circulating about Adam's withdrawal since he was seen meeting with one of the former president's closest advisors in Florida.
Breaking News: Adams Leaving the Race
Reports suggest that the former president has thought about offering Adams and Curtis Sliwa, the Republican mayoral candidate, roles in his administration. This move would pave the way for Cuomo, and in Adam's case, the offer could be as prestigious as becoming the ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Sliwa has even claimed that he was offered money to leave the race.
We are now joined by Zohran Mamdani, the man the former president does not wish to see as New York's next mayor. Welcome back, Zohran. Could you tell us about your thoughts on Adams's decision to withdraw from the race? Were you surprised?
"To be honest, this has been a long time coming. We've been hearing rumors about this for quite a while now," said Mamdani. "However, this move is a clear reflection of what has defined Adams's time as mayor—making decisions at the behest of the former president and his wealthy donors, all at the expense of the working-class New Yorkers. This situation reminds us of the need to challenge the days of big money and small ideas controlling City Hall and to start delivering for the very working-class New Yorkers who are being forced out of the city due to high cost."
Adams's Response
While announcing his decision to leave the race, Mayor Adams did not mention Mamdani or Cuomo by name. However, he made a statement that many view as a critique of Mamdani's campaign. Adams warned against those who promise to destroy the system built over generations, referring to it as chaos rather than change. Instead, he urged New Yorkers to choose their leaders based on their past actions rather than their promises.
When asked about this, Mamdani responded, "I'm not at all surprised by these comments from Adams. After all, his tenure as mayor has resulted in one in four New Yorkers living in poverty. He acknowledges the issues New Yorkers are facing—high costs, declining quality of life, and security concerns. But his approach to these issues is what I take issue with. This is a mayor who has increased rent by 12% for over 2 million New Yorkers and made child care increasingly unaffordable. Time and again, he has worsened the cost-of-living crisis, whether by raising the water bill or supporting energy companies when they wanted to increase gas and electric prices. I wouldn't take his advice on resolving this crisis."
Impact of Adams's Withdrawal
When asked about the impact of Adam's withdrawal from the race on his own campaign, Mamdani expressed confidence. He said, "This race is still the same. Cuomo was after a one-on-one fight with me during the final weeks of the primary. We gave him that, and we defeated him by 13 points. We remain confident."
Mamdani then talked about his focus on New Yorkers, stating, "Leadership needs to focus on how to benefit the people of the city. Unfortunately, politicians like Cuomo and Adams seem more interested in discussing themselves and their own interests. It's time to actually think about New Yorkers."
Despite being offered money by seven wealthy individuals to end his campaign, Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee, is still in the race. "There's no shortage of donors seeking to influence this election and trying to stop our campaign," said Mamdani. "But the bad news for them is that they won't be able to."
Mamdani also remains unperturbed by the change from a four-person race to a three-person race. He believes that his focus on working-class New Yorkers, their struggle to afford the city, and his clear stance against the politics of the past will help him win the race.
Despite his platform focusing on affordability and aiding the working class, Mamdani did face a surprising double-digit lead by Cuomo in low-income neighborhoods during the Democratic primary. He explained, "A lot of New Yorkers associate Cuomo not just with his own name or record, but also with that of his father. We are now building a coalition that shows our agenda as one that will deliver affordability to each and every New Yorker."