Eric Adams ends campaign for New York City mayor

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Sunday he is suspending his campaign for mayor, just weeks away from the closely watched election.

Adams announced his decision in a video on X.

The mayor, running as an independent, resisted calls to drop out previously from opponents of Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, who were concerned he and independent candidate former Gov. Andrew Cuomo would split the vote.

ABC News previously reported that it is too late for Adams’s name to be removed from the ballot.

Adams said he could not continue his bid because of what he said was media speculation and funds withheld by the New York City Campaign Finance Board, which has withheld matching funds from Adams’s campaign due to alleged or suspected violations of New York City campaign finance rules, “have undermined my ability to raise the funds needed for a serious campaign.”

“When I was elected to serve as your mayor, I said these words: This campaign was never about me. It was about the people of this city — from every neighborhood and background — who had been left behind and believed they would never catch up. This campaign was for the underserved, the marginalized, the abandoned and betrayed by government,” Adams said in the video.

“Since then, it has been my honor to be your mayor. And I am proud to say that we took that victory four years ago and turned it into action — making this city better for those who had been failed by government.”

Adams also indicated he will serve out the rest of his term in office.

“Although this is the end of my reelection campaign, it is not the end of my public service. I will continue to fight for this city — as I have for 40 years, since the day I joined the NYPD to make our streets safer and our systems fairer,” he said.

Adams did not endorse any candidate for mayor.

Mamdani wrote in a statement reacting to Adams’ withdrawal, “Donald Trump and his billionaire donors might be able to determine Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo’s actions but they will not dictate the results of this election. New York deserves better than trading in one disgraced, corrupt politician for another. On November 4th, we are going to turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas and deliver a government every New Yorker can be proud of.”

A spokesperson for Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa wrote, “Curtis Sliwa is the only candidate who can defeat Mamdani. Our team, our resources, and our funding are unmatched. Most importantly, we have the best solutions to help working people afford to stay in New York City and feel safe.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.