New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) said the Democratic Party “left” him and the working class behind as much of his own party has distanced themselves from him and he faces poor polling numbers. 

Adams told political commentator and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in an interview that aired on Tuesday that those in the “orbit” of the Justice Department under the Biden administration felt he was “not a good Democrat,” leading to his indictment on multiple federal charges, including bribery and wire fraud. He has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty. 

Adams said he believes he was indicted because he complained about the state of U.S. immigration policy and an influx of migrants into New York City. 

Carlson asked Adams if the indictment was punishment for complaining, and Adams said, “That is my belief based on several aspects of it,” but said he couldn’t go into details. Adams has previously alleged without evidence that the charges against him were politically motivated. 

“People often say, ‘You don’t sound like a Democrat. You seem to have left the party,’” Adams said. “No, the party left me, and it left working-class people.” 

“People are concerned about the future of their families, and that should be our focus, and that’s the focus of this administration,” he added. 

Adams faces a significant challenge as he mounts a reelection campaign with the Democratic primary in June. His trial is set to begin in April, and numerous challengers have jumped into the race against him. 

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) appears poised to also enter the race as soon as next month, potentially giving Adams an opponent with strong name recognition and fundraising ability. 

While not much polling has been conducted in the race yet, the early surveys show Adams has a significant deficit to make up for. Surveys after Adams’s indictment showed his approval rating plummeting and most voters wanting him to resign. 

A poll released last week showed Adams with 6 percent support in the first round of a hypothetical ranked-choice voting matchup. 

Adams avoided commenting on a question from Carlson about his reaction to the possibility of Cuomo entering the race, but he said he’s a “firm believer” that he’s not running against anyone and is just “running against myself.” 

“We have to run our race, and so no matter who’s in the race, I’m going to run my race, and I’m going to sell to New Yorkers what we did with this city,” he said. 

Adams has been particularly outspoken among Democrats in criticizing the Biden administration’s immigration policies long before the indictment, creating some tension with the administration, but Democrats particularly distanced themselves after Adams’s indictment. 

Adams has also stirred speculation about the possibility of him seeking a pardon from President Trump as both have made similar claims alleging charges against them have been politically motivated. Trump has said he’d consider pardoning Adams, who also avoided sharp attacks on Trump during the campaign, unlike other Democrats. 

Adams’s decision to sit for an interview with Carlson marks a possible shift in his view of the controversial commentator. After Carlson praised Adams in 2021, Adams responded that he doesn’t “want or need the support of Tucker Carlson, or anyone else who perpetuates racist, anti-immigrant propaganda.” 

At the conclusion of Carlson’s interview, Adams said he looked forward to winning reelection and spending time with Carlson had been a “real pleasure.”