Independent politicking, matching funds-denied Democratic Mayor Adams just may pivot

By Nayaba Arinde
Editor at Large
Independent living and right-of-center political thinking may be on the horizon for 1990s-Republican registered Eric Adams, the embattled Mayor of New York, who is currently Democratic assigned.

Late last year, Adams said the “Democrats left me. ” Now, he is not ruling out running as an independent and skipping the contentious June primary altogether.

Mayor Adams told the assembled media, “When I’m ready to roll out my official re-announcement and my plan, I will do so. I’m going to make sure all of you are invited to it. You can stand in the back with me if you want and just be part of my support group, like others who support.”

On Monday, as other mayoral candidates reveled in qualifying for New York Campaign Matching Funds, Adams was denied but said, “Everyone is catching up to me. I started raising early.”

Under scrutiny by the feds and the media in general, after last year’s five federal corruption and bribery indictments, Adams has not been able to tap into the money-boosting process, even though he has a hefty-election war chest at over four million dollars.

As they gear up for what will probably be a hectic primary run-up, politicos such as Zohran Mamdani and Zelnor Myrie are hitting the campaign at warp speed, glad-handing and pushing their vote-inspired agendas.

All were told they qualify for the 8 public dollars for every one dollar collected by the candidate. Big money. It is a system designed to help regular people run even without massive corporate or big-buck donors.

But, last September, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Mayor Adams abused his position as this City’s highest elected official, and before that as Brooklyn Borough President, to take bribes and solicit illegal campaign contributions.”

Even though currently off the books–at President Donald Trump’s discretion, the 5 indictment case can be reinstated if he feels Adams is not complying with whatever the alleged details are in the largely speculated quid pro quo arrangement of deporting certain immigrants en masse.

The incumbent mayor says that he is running full steam ahead for re-election.
Adams stated, “We were finished with all of our fundraising, so everybody’s catching up to me, not only in fundraising, but in policies.” Adding, “Not only are they catching up to me on fundraising, they’re catching up to me on policies.

You know, how do you have to defund the police? Brad Lander, now saying you wanna keep my police commissioner? I keep asking y’all, look at their policies. All of their policies are Eric Adams policies. You know, these are Eric-like candidates. Don’t go with Eric-like people when you’ve got Eric.”

Meanwhile, as former governor Andrew Cuomo rides his big-money-backed populist mayoral campaign, fellow candidate City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams’ campaign noted, “Approximately 60% of the Democratic primary electorate is female, and 65% of Black Democratic primary voters are women.

” They form “the energized core” of her support, she stated. “As the first Black Speaker of the City Council and a leading candidate to become New York’s first woman – and first Black woman – mayor, [my] election would deliver a clear rejection of Trump’s divisive politics, both for these voters and for all New Yorkers.”

Hefty $128,000 fundraising in less than a week, “We’ve done a phenomenal job in just five days,” she declared.

To cash in, as it were–on the CFB process, certain criteria must be met.
“Candidates need to bring in at least $250,000 in qualifying donations from 1,000 contributors to be eligible for matching funds, per the city board,” said Politico.

City Comptroller Brad Lander, former Comptroller Scott Stringer, State Senator Zellnor Myrie, and Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani did just that.

As usual, Adams brushed off any dissent and asked folk to sign his petition if they saw him out and about and support his re-election bid.

Assembly Member Latrice Walker addressed over 100 ‘Women for Cuomo’ at a breakfast and stated, “As a born and raised native of Brooklyn, it breaks my heart to hear from my friends and neighbors about how New York City has almost overnight become a place only the rich can afford.”

The Brooklyn 55th Assembly District representative campaigned, “Under Andrew Cuomo, rent was more affordable, homeownership was attainable, quality and affordable healthcare was accessible throughout our state, and our schools performed better…it was the result of his leadership.

As Governor, Andrew Cuomo was a truly battle-tested leader, and as our next Mayor, he can lead our great City into a new era of prosperity for everyone, and that’s why I’m endorsing his campaign.”

Nothing is mentioned by the fervent supporters about alleged Cuomo culpability in either the case where seniors were sent from hospitals back to care homes during the pandemic, and many passed away; or the dozen women who charged Cuomo with harassment, and not even his controversial $5 million Covid management book deal.

This week, Brooklyn Democratic leader Rodneyse Bichotte-Hermelyn, a one-time die-hard Adams ally, endorsed Cuomo, as have party vice chair Henry Butler, Carl McCall—the Democratic 2002 nominee for Governor and former New York State Senator and Comptroller—and City Councilmembers Farrah Louis and Darlene Mealey.

Adams, who has a 20% approval rate, said that he does not “take any of this personally.” He insists that “Politics is not personal…We move forward. And you don’t personalize this stuff.”

He denies the allegations that his 2021 campaign conspired to receive illegal domestic and also foreign donations from the Turkish government.
His opponents are seizing on these legal issues and using it as cannon fodder in their relentless attacks.

“I’m not running against candidates. I’m running against myself,” Adams said. “And there’s only going to be one person that’s gonna come through the primary. All those eight, nine, 10 people…They’re all running around, calling me names, and all of that. I’m focused on running the City of New York.”

With a monthly deadline, Adams said he was going to seek for the CFB to reverse their decision.
Confident that her supporters will come through in strong numbers and financial backing, Speaker Adams’s campaign spokesperson Lupe Todd-Medina said, “By the end of the race we’ll have made matching funds.”

Cuomo, with $1.5 million in his campaign wallet, missed the deadline to file the paperwork but seems unfazed.

“Former Governor Cuomo entered this race as the frontrunner after months of planning,” stated Speaker Adams through her campaign. “He is formidable, leading in polls and pulling a significant share of the Black vote from Eric Adams.

But his entry has also intensified the demand for an alternative that represents the future instead of a return to the 20th-century Democratic establishment. Cuomo is polarizing, vulnerable, and weighed down by sky-high negatives.

Cuomo isn’t the first ex-governor who resigned in scandal to attempt a comeback. Eliot Spitzer tried the same in 2013, leveraging his name recognition and early poll leads of up to 15 points, running on voter affection for his pre-resignation record. In both Spitzer’s and Cuomo’s cases, their early leads relied on Black voters – support neither could take for granted.

Black voters may know Andrew Cuomo, but there’s little indication in polling or public sentiment that black voters love Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo’s standing in the Black community is especially fragile now that his path to victory depends on stopping the first Black woman from becoming mayor.”