[music]

Janae Pierre: Welcome to NYC NOW, your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Monday, September 29th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill.

Michael Hill: A dramatic shift in the New York City race for mayor is unlikely even after the departure of the incumbent, Mayor Adams. That's according to political strategist and Columbia University professor Basil Smikle. Even if everyone, he says, who had been supporting Adams threw their support behind a single candidate, not much would change. Still, he says, "Never say never."

Basil Smikle: Even though it's highly unlikely, it's not impossible that the entire narrative of the race changes even though there are only about five weeks left.

Michael Hill: Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani is the clear frontrunner in the race. Right behind him is former Governor Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Adams cited his campaign's financial woes among the reasons for his decision to suspend his campaign. His name, though, will still appear on the ballot. New York State Attorney General Tish James is turning to a national group to fund her legal defense at a Justice Department probe. WNYC's Jimmy Vielkind reports.

Jimmy Vielkind: James will tap a fund set up by the Democratic Attorneys General Association. The group says it's stepping up to defend elected prosecutors targeted by President Trump. It's a sign the legal pressure on James is rising. Trump administration officials say James made false statements on mortgage applications for her Brooklyn brownstone and a home in Virginia. The President recently said on social media that James was "guilty as hell and should be prosecuted." James and her attorneys say the allegations are baseless and politically motivated. James's office won a roughly $500 million judgment against the President and his company that is currently under appeal.

Michael Hill: Mixed feelings for New York baseball fans this morning. The Yankees will head to the playoffs, but they did come up short on winning the division title. The Toronto Blue Jays beat Tampa to clinch the American League East. That leaves the Yankees in the wildcard mix, but without the division crown or home-field advantage. They'll play the Red Sox at home in the first Wild Card Series starting tomorrow. For the Queens team, the Mets' late-season collapse. Well, it's complete. A 4-0 loss to the Miami Marlins yesterday knocked them out of the postseason picture. The Cincinnati Reds have clinched the National League's final wild-card spot.

[music]

Michael Hill: 67 and mostly clear right now. Partly sunny for this last Monday of September. A high-near 80 degrees. This is WNYC.

Janae Pierre: Stay close. There's more after the break.

Michael Hill: It is a new day in the race for New York City mayor. Current mayor, Eric Adams, has suspended his re-election bid. Left in the race are Democratic nominee and frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. Here to dive into Adams's decision and what it means for the race is WNYC's senior politics reporter, Brigid Bergin. Brigid, what were Mayor Adams's reasons for saying, "Enough"?

Brigid Bergin: Well, Michael, the mayor released an eight-plus-minute video yesterday afternoon, where he gave two reasons, blaming the media speculation over his future and the Campaign Finance Board's decision to withhold taxpayer-funded matching funds from his campaign. Here are his words.

Mayor Eric Adams: The constant media speculation about my future and the Campaign Finance Board's decision to withhold millions of dollars have undermined my ability to raise the funds needed for a serious campaign.

Brigid Bergin: Now, Michael, that's what he said. Now, this is what he didn't say. In recent weeks, a series of public polls have come out, and Adams has been polling in fourth place behind those three candidates you mentioned in all of them. Now, this comes despite his decision back in the spring to skip that Democratic primary and mount a re-election bid as an independent.

His campaign could just never shake off the appearance that he made a deal with President Trump's Justice Department to get his federal corruption case dropped. Now, even though Adams continues to say that the case itself, which notably involved charges that he abused the city's campaign finance system, he says that case was politically motivated. He never was really able to get this campaign off the ground.

Michael Hill: Now, when voters go to the poll, Brigid, in November, they're still going to see his name on the ballot, right?

Brigid Bergin: Absolutely. It is well beyond the date when Adams could actually have his name removed. Some low-information voters who maybe aren't following all these twists and turns, and maybe even some protest votes will still likely go to the sitting mayor.

Michael Hill: Brigid, people out there have to be asking, "Why now?" Why did it take the mayor so long to reach this conclusion, given that a second term has looked out of reach for more than a year?

Brigid Bergin: Adams has been saying publicly that he was in this race to win, but there have been multiple reports that his advisers have been in talks with the Trump administration negotiators looking for an exit ramp from this campaign. Earlier this month, he met with officials in Florida. The New York Times reported that they were in negotiations about a role as a possible ambassador to Saudi Arabia, but nothing fully materialized.

In about two weeks ago, on a Friday afternoon, the rumors really began to hit this fever pitch that Adams was going to drop out of the race. Then he came out of Gracie Mansion and held a press conference, declaring that he was in it to win it. Ultimately, it seems like some of his biggest supporters, including Frank Carone, say that Adams was just not in a place at this point to beat the leading contenders, specifically Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani. This is just his last-ditch effort to narrow the race.

Michael Hill: Who stands to benefit from the mayor's departure from this race? Where are those supporters-- where do they go?

Brigid Bergin: Well, some polls have shown Adams pulled some of the same moderate Black voters that have traditionally supported Andrew Cuomo, but Evans is also polling well among some Republicans. There's a chance some of his supporters may also support Republican Curtis Sliwa. There are going to be some voters who set this out entirely, Michael. Keep in mind, Adams was only polling anywhere from 7% to 11%, depending on which poll you're looking at. We're still talking about a relatively small number of supporters either way.

Michael Hill: You've heard from other candidates?

Brigid Bergin: Yes, so no surprise, the remaining candidates were all putting statements and videos out. Yesterday, Sliwa's campaign issued a statement, saying he was the only candidate who could beat Mamdani. He had the team and resources that were unmatched. Cuomo also issued a statement, saying that the choice Eric Adams for mayor made was not an easy one, but, "I believe he is sincere in putting the well-being of New York City ahead of personal ambition. We face destructive, extremist forces that would devastate our city through incompetence or ignorance, but it is not too late to stop them."

The statement went on to praise some of Adams's accomplishments in office. Now, I'll note that Adams did not endorse anyone in his video suspending his campaign. That's certainly something to watch. Earlier this month, he called Cuomo a snake and a liar when he was insisting that he was going to stay in this race, so it would be a real total about-face if he endorses Cuomo. Nothing really would surprise me at this point, Michael. [chuckles] Finally, Mamdani released a video statement about Adams. He talked about his own grassroots-organizing efforts and then added this point.

Zohran Mamdani: In just over five weeks, we will turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas and deliver a government every New Yorker can be proud of. To Andrew Cuomo, you got your wish. You wanted Trump and your billionaire friends to help you clear the field. Don't forget, you wanted me as your opponent in the primary, too, and we beat you by 13 points.

Brigid Bergin: A lot of confidence coming from the frontrunner there.

Michael Hill: Sounds like he's throwing it down there. How do you think Adams will be remembered as mayor, Brigid? What will his legacy be?

Brigid Bergin: Well, Michael, he's the first modern city mayor to be criminally indicted. He is the first mayor since William Gaynor, I know, a household name, in 1913, decided to not seek another term for which he was eligible. He's the first mayor since David Dinkins, the city's first Black mayor, to only serve one term. I think somewhat sadly for someone who ran on a pledge to restore order and public safety to a city just coming out of that global pandemic, his accomplishments, whether it's bringing down crime or building more housing, are likely to be overshadowed by the dozens of officials who left his administration under clouds of corruption.

The way this case ultimately ended, driving career Republican prosecutors out of the US attorney's office over allegations of a quid pro quo with Trump's Justice Department over an agreement that the Adams administration would support their mass deportation policies. Even the federal judge who dismissed the case said everything smacked of a bargain. In many ways, it just feels like a political tragedy. Son of Queens who lifted himself out of poverty, built a career as a New York City police officer, and then reached the highest perch in city politics is ending things under a cloud of disgrace.

Michael Hill: Brigid, what are you hearing, at least in speculation, about Adams's future?

Brigid Bergin: I think that will be something we will be watching very closely. Whether or not he makes a decision to actually weigh in on this mayoral race and whether it becomes clearer what is ultimately his next step, whether it's in the private sector or something in the Trump administration, we'll be ready to report it for all of our listeners.

Michael Hill: WNYC's Brigid Bergin. Brigid, thank you.

Brigid Bergin: Thank you.

[music]

Janae Pierre: Thanks for listening. This is NYC NOW from WNYC. Check us out for updates every weekday, three times a day, for the latest news headlines and occasional deep dives, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. We'll be back this evening.

[music]

Copyright © 2025 New York Public Radio. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use at www.wnyc.org for further information.

New York Public Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline, often by contractors. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of New York Public Radio’s programming is the audio record.