NEW YORK (PIX11) – Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, is planning to run as an independent in the 2025 mayoral election, he announced on Thursday.

“And when New Yorkers worry about their bills at the kitchen table, or feeling safe on the subway platform, they don’t expect their political party to help,” Adams said in an announcement video. “They want leadership from a person who understands their struggle and their story. There isn’t a liberal or conservative way to fix New York, but there is a right way.”

Adams said he is skipping the Democratic primary, despite still considering himself a Democrat, to “appeal directly to all New Yorkers as an independent candidate in the general election.”

“I have always put New York’s people before politics and party and I always will. I am running for mayor in the general election because our city needs independent leadership that understands working people,” he wrote on X.

The announcement comes a day after the corruption charges against him were dropped. Judge Dale Ho ordered the case to be dropped with prejudice, which means the charges against Adams cannot be brought up again.

Adams spoke after his charges were dropped outside of Gracie Mansion on Wednesday, saying the charges never should have been brought against him.

“As I’ve said all along, this case should have never been brought, and I did nothing wrong,” he said. “I also want to apologize to New Yorkers for having to go through this with me.”