(NewsNation) — New York City Mayor Adams announced his reelection campaign on Thursday.
Adams, who is a Democrat, pulled out of the primary to instead run as an independent in the general election for New York City mayor, a decision he made after it was clear the public uproar over his now-dismissed federal corruption case had severely damaged his chances of winning the party’s nomination.
“Look at this beautiful display of diversity that is here,” Adams said to his supporters outside City Hall. “Look at people from all corners of the city, different ethnicities, different faiths, and groups. Not people who have read about me, but people I have touched individually. That I stood in hospitals with. That I looked at their families and made their lives better.”
Before the announcement, Adams had not done much campaigning, but he now appears eager to take on Zohran Mamdani, who claimed victory over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in this week’s Democratic mayoral primary.
Mamdani, who is still relatively new to politics, has served in the state Assembly since 2021.
“This election is a real choice,” Adams noted. “This election is a choice between a candidate with a blue-collar and one with a suit and a silver spoon.”
Adams spoke of all the accomplishments during his tenure, which included bringing down crime in the city. New York City had the lowest number of shooters/homicides in its history as of June. His administration also took 20,000 guns off the streets, made smarter choices in the New York City Police Department, made them more accountable, and set record highs for gun arrests and gun removals throughout the five boroughs.
“I didn’t come into office with a personal agenda,” added Adams. “I came in with a personal mission to fight for working-class New Yorkers.”
Adams also acknowledged the 500,000 jobs created during his administration (most in the city’s history) and that tourism, housing, and construction have shown continued growth. He also highlighted the enhanced mental health services and focus on education under his leadership.
“We have done more for education than any mayor in the history of the city,” said Adams. “We put our children on the pathway to careers and employment. We have changed the trajectory of our children from what they eat to how they think.”
Adams had previously created two of his own political parties — “EndAntiSemitism” and “Safe&Affordable” — to get a spot on the ballot.
“We built a government that works with urgency, compassion, and accountability,” Adams said.
Both Cuomo and Adams are guaranteed spots on the general election ballot because of the state’s generous qualification rules for third parties.