By James Fanelli and Ginger Adams Otis

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced plans to start his own political party to run for a second term -- an unorthodox strategy that he thinks is his best path to win re-election.

No longer encumbered by his bribery case, the mayor said he plans to focus on a run in the general election in the fall. He would still be a Democrat but campaign on a newly created party line that emphasizes public safety.

Pinning his hopes on the November election provides him a longer runway to launch his campaign after being preoccupied for months with his criminal case, according to Frank Carone, a close adviser to the mayor.

"Now he is going to use every moment to bring his message to New Yorkers, " Carone said.

The mayor had been keeping his campaign plans under seal, holding off on an announcement until after a federal judge on Wednesday dismissed the charges against him.

The Justice Department had asked for the case to be dropped, saying it distracted the mayor from running the city and helping President Trump in his push to crack down on illegal immigration and violent crime.

Adams's campaign decision means that the general election in November could be unusually competitive. Typically, the winner of the mayoral Democratic primary in heavily blue New York City rolls to victory against the Republican candidate.

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat who is mounting a political comeback, is the current front-runner in the June primary. If he wins, he could square off against Adams in the fall.

Law and order

Adams, a former New York Police Department officer, beat out a crowded field of Democratic contenders in 2021 to become the mayor. He positioned himself as a moderate who championed law enforcement and economic development.

Adams plans to campaign on his administration's successes, Carone said, including the city's recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and offices humming with workers again. The mayor will also emphasize the drop in violent crime in the city in recent months.

"Public safety will be the mayor's north star," Carone said.

To get on the November ballot with a new party, Adams will need to collect 3,750 petition signatures by the end of May, according to the state board of elections.

Adams's time in office has been marred by criminal investigations into him and his associates. He spent the past six months fighting for his political life and freedom after federal prosecutors charged him with bribery and campaign-finance violations. He was the first sitting mayor to be indicted in modern times.

While he denied wrongdoing, Adams faced calls for his resignation from former allies and opponents who have said a dismissal of his case left him beholden to Trump. The mayor has denied any quid pro quo between the president and him.

Catering to centrists

Adams's advisers see running in the general election as something akin to the open primary concept of some states, where voting isn't limited to people of one party.

The hope among Adams's strategists is that the general election will bring out centrist Democrats and Republicans who will see him as an option they typically don't get, since most races in this majority-blue city are decided in the primary.

The voters Adams will target include conservative Democrats, moderate Republicans and the Jewish community, including the Orthodox and Bukharians in Forest Hills, Queens, as well as other ethnic communities, such as the Polish population in Greenpoint.

The bold

With the threat of conviction behind him, Adams has launched himself full-force into fundraising, according to people familiar with the matter.

The mayor attended a fundraiser in support of his campaign on March 12 at a lavish Midtown Manhattan mansion, which records show is owned by a Kuwaiti billionaire.

Public records show Adams has raised about $4.4 million and spent about $1.3 million.

The mayor spoke last month at a meet-and-greet at La Casa del Mofongo, a Dominican restaurant in upper Manhattan, where he vowed to win a second term despite political enemies trying to stop him.

"Legacies do not go to those who fold," Adams told the crowd. "Legacies go to those who are bold."

Write to James Fanelli at james.fanelli@wsj.com and Ginger Adams Otis at Ginger.AdamsOtis@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 03, 2025 07:06 ET (11:06 GMT)

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