Mayor Eric Adams slammed latecomer Democratic election rivals Adrienne Adams and Andrew Cuomo Thursday for working “shadow campaigns” capitalizing on his woes — whereas defiantly insisting he’s not going to drop out.
Hizzoner defended his personal apparently largely nonexistent marketing campaign throughout an unrelated press convention close to Washington Sq. Park, arguing his rock-bottom ballot numbers and persevering with corruption case chaos don’t spell re-election doom.
“I’m not a quitter, I’m a New Yorker,” he mentioned. “We never surrender, never give up. This game is so far from over.”
The defiant message got here on the heels of Cuomo, the previous governor, and Metropolis Council Speaker Adrienne Adams each coming into the already crowded Democratic major race up to now week.
The mayor, who’s of no relation to Adrienne Adams, accused the Council speaker and Cuomo of safely hiding within the shadows whereas he took hits on the entrance strains.
“They were running shadow campaigns,” he mentioned. “They were not being scrutinized, they were not being questioned. You didn’t know what their positions were.”
Adams – whose job approval ranking hit a record-low 20% for a New York Metropolis mayor in a current ballot – contended that Cuomo, the speaker and the opposite candidates are working on his agenda.
“Now everyone is trying to shift and know that my winning solution of turning around the city, from COVID to crime, to jobs to the economy — everyone is now sounding like Eric Adams,” he mentioned.
Cuomo introduced his long-rumored candidacy Saturday, casting himself as New York Metropolis’s savior.
He entered the race as the moment entrance runner — a shocking reversal of fortune from 2021, when he resigned in shame as governor amid a swirl of sexual harassment accusations. He has persistently denied the accusations.
Adrienne Adams formally entered the race Wednesday. She’ll maintain a kick-off rally Saturday.
For his half, the mayor has shied away from campaigning as his legal case drags out nearer to the June major.
These near Adams had hoped for a fast decision with the brand new Trump administration, however the backlash over how Division of Justice officers dealt with the dismissal — particularly permitting it to be introduced again at any time — compelled the choose to delay even contemplating tossing the case until mid-March.
Adams has defended his absence from the marketing campaign path, contending he’s now an incumbent and doesn’t want to lift his profile.
“I know how to overcome hurdles, I know it so well,” he mentioned. “The worst thing I can do is surrender to a lie. And I will never do that.”
Cuomo spokesman Wealthy Azzopardi mentioned: “They know we New York is in crisis and Governor Cuomo has the experience and the expertise to help save it.”
The speaker’s marketing campaign didn’t reply to a request for remark.
— Extra reporting by Amanda Woods
