New York City Mayor Eric ams announced Sunday that he is dropping his third-party bid for re-election, narrowing the field for November’s election.
“Despite everything we’ve accomplished, I am unable to continue my re-election campaign,” ams expressed in a video shared on X. “The ongoing media speculation about my future and the campaign finance board’s decision to withhold millions of dollars have hindered my ability to secure the funds essential for a competitive campaign.”
In a nearly nine-minute video, ams said he hoped New Yorkers “will see that despite the headlines and the innuendo, I always put you before me.”
A source close to the mayor said that ams’ dropping out was “unfortunate,” noting that “his policies were best for this city.”
ams encouraged his successor to “carry on the work we began, focusing on reducing the cost of living, enhancing quality of life, and maintaining a strong focus on cutting crime and disorder through investments in policing, mental health, substance abuse treatment, homelessness services, and community-driven initiatives.”
The mayor did not endorse anyone in the video, although ams appeared to critique Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, a state legislator, by stating that “extremism is growing in our politics.”
“Frequently, hidden forces exploit local government to push divisive agendas without considering the impact on everyday New Yorkers,” he remarked. “Significant change is both welcome and necessary, but beware of individuals who assert that dismantling the very system we collectively built over generations is the solution. That is not change, that is chaos.”
ams’ declaration comes after weeks of speculation that he might withdraw from the race and assist in unifying non-Mamdani support behind former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is also pursuing a third-party bid for mayor.
ams’ name will still appear on ballots this fall, as he withdrew after the deadline for printing. Nevertheless, the incumbent mayor has not been a significant contender in the race. Recent public polls have shown him trailing in a distant fourth place, with Mamdani holding a double-digit lead over Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa, and ams further behind.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump told reporters he would like to see two candidates in the crowded election leave the race to boost the chances of defeating Mamdani, a progressive who trounced Cuomo in New York’s Democratic primary in June.
“I would like to see two people drop out and have it be one on one,” Trump said at a White House dinner in early September. “I think that’s a race that could be won.”
“I don’t think you can win unless you have one on one, because somehow he’s gotten a little bit of a lead,” Trump added. “I don’t like to see a communist become mayor, I will tell you that.”
ams was elected as a Democrat in 2021. But he decided earlier this year to seek re-election as an independent, amid cratering poll numbers in his party after facing federal corruption charges and then seeing them dropped by Trump’s Department of Justice, which argued that it needed ams’ cooperation on the president’s immigration and deportation agenda.
ams was indicted in September 2024 on federal charges, including bribery and campaign finance violations. The Department of Justice alleged that he “used his prominent positions in New York City government to obtain illegal campaign contributions and luxury travel.”
ams’ announcement was first reported by the New York Post.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
