MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
There's been a big shake-up in the race for New York City mayor. The current mayor, Eric Adams, dropped out Sunday, which could make things harder for Democratic front-runner Zohran Mamdani. NPR's Brian Mann has this report.
BRIAN MANN, BYLINE: In a video posted on social media, Adams said his reelection fight was crippled by media innuendo and unfair investigations, including by the city's campaign finance board, which last month voted to deny Adams matching funds. Adams said that made it impossible to keep going.
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ERIC ADAMS: Despite all we've achieved, I cannot continue my reelection campaign.
MANN: Adams' administration was rocked by scandals, including federal bribery charges. That case was shelved under President Trump's Justice Department and dismissed by a federal judge, but support for Adams' reelection cratered. With Adams out, this race is one step closer to a head-to-head matchup between Zohran Mamdani, a state assemblyman and a relative newcomer to New York politics, and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo resigned in 2021 following allegations of sexual misconduct, which he's denied. In his comeback bid, he's running as an independent, fighting to win over a big chunk of Adams' voters by portraying Mamdani as inexperienced and a radical. "We face destructive extremist forces that would devastate our city," Cuomo said in a statement Sunday, adding, quote, "it's not too late to stop them."
Mamdani is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, and if he wins, he'd be the city's first Muslim mayor. He fired back at Cuomo Sunday, saying New Yorkers shouldn't trade, quote, "one disgraced, corrupt politician for another." It's unclear whether this shake-up will slow Mamdani's steady lead in the race, fueled by young campaign volunteers and social media ads like this one, focused on affordability.
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UNIDENTIFIED NARRATOR: The cost of living is the real crisis. New Yorkers are being crushed by rent and child care.
MANN: This is still a three-way contest. Republican Curtis Sliwa also faces pressure to drop out, including from President Trump, in order to set up a one-on-one race between Mamdani and Cuomo. Sliwa has said he's staying in through the November election.
Brian Mann, NPR News, New York.
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