New York Mayor Eric Adams is asserting his independence, announcing Thursday that he has unenrolled from the Democratic Party ahead of his reelection campaign. The moderate mayor and former police officer revealed he will run for a second four-year term as a registered independent. This move follows a brief period during which Adams considered running as a Republican—an idea that seemed nearly impossible in the deeply blue city.
In an interview announcing his decision, Adams explained that the change would enable him to “mount a real independent campaign” with a “solid base of people” outside Manhattan. He highlighted his strong ties to minority voting blocs that have become increasingly disillusioned with the Democratic Party. “I have been this racehorse that has been held back,” he told Politico. “This is so unnatural for me.”
Adams is closely tied to President Donald Trump following the U.S. Justice Department dropping its corruption charges against him. His decision to seek reelection as an independent will likely make the New York mayoral race a major event in 2025. Had he remained in the Democratic Party, Adams would have faced a tough primary against disgraced former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is currently leading in early polls.
“I’m in the race to the end. I’m not running on the Democratic line. It’s just not realistic to turn around my numbers and to run a good campaign (from) where we are right now,” he told the outlet. “It hurts like hell.” By shedding his party label, Adams gains additional months to engage with the city’s growing base of independent voters. His fundraising team has vowed to “go to court if need be and fight for our matching funds.” Public financing for political campaigns, managed by the city’s Campaign Finance Board, is crucial for competing in the city’s costly media market.
“Now I need this runway until November to redefine and remind people: This is why you elected me in the first place,” he said. Instead, he aims to present the image that has always been beneath his partisan label: a former New York cop and working-class kid who doesn’t fit neatly into traditional ideological categories. “My life story is what is my most potent weapon,” he said.
New York City has 3.3 million registered Democrats, 1.1 million independents, and 558,778 Republicans. The city has consistently elected a Democratic mayor since Rudy Giuliani’s tenure, and even Michael Bloomberg, who switched between parties, spent tens of millions of his own fortune to stay in office.
