New York City Mayor Eric Adams formally kicked off his independent bid for reelection on Thursday, two days after state Assembly member Zohran Mamdani scored a big upset in the Democratic primary. 

Adams, whose favorability ratings plummeted amid bribery charges that were later dropped in what some alleged was a quid pro quo with the Trump administration, is viewed as having long odds to pull off a win for a second term in office. But he maintained he plans to go forward with his bid in opposition to Mamdani. 

“I am so proud to be here to say to the people of the city of New York, I am seeking reelection to be your mayor of the city of New York,” he said. 

Adams touted his time leading the city during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting his advocacy for reopening schools for children to be in person in classrooms. He also pointed to declining unemployment levels for minorities and crime rates, including the first five months of 2025 having the lowest number of shootings and homicides in the city’s history. 

He also took jabs at Mamdani without naming him, criticizing his proposal to enact citywide rent freezes in rent-controlled apartments. He argued that this will hurt landlords who need to make small increases to rent to ensure they can keep up with the cost of living. 

He also said he’s not interested in “Twitter politics.” Mamdani has received widespread attention throughout the race for his prowess at social media messaging. 

“You don’t leave this city from a soapbox. You lead it with action, not rhetoric,” Adams said. 

He said he’s running for reelection because more remains to be done. He said during a second term, he would launch a citywide mental health initiative, reduce crime further, make New York the “greenest city in America” and increase housing affordability. 

“This election is a real choice. This election is a choice between a candidate with a blue collar and one with a silver spoon. A choice between dirty fingernails and manicured nails. A choice between someone who delivered lower crime, the most jobs in history and the most new housing built in decades and an Assembly member who did not pass a bill,” Adams said. 

Mamdani, a state legislator since 2021, has faced some criticism over his lack of experience in office, including that only three pieces of legislation he’s introduced have become laws. 

“This election is a choice between real progress and empty promises,” Adams added. 

Mamdani, a democratic socialist, won a surprising upset on Tuesday in the Democratic primary over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who was seen as the front-runner for most of the race. Cuomo has opened the door to possibly running as an independent in November, though he’s said he’s waiting for the final results of the primary to be released to decide. 

Adams chose to forgo the Democratic primary and instead run as an independent. He faces significant hurdles as his approval rating reached a low of 20 percent in a Quinnipiac University poll in March. 

Polling also has consistently shown a majority of New York City voters believe he should resign since he was first accused last fall of accepting bribes from wealthy businessmen and a Turkish government official in exchange for favors. 

The charges were eventually dropped after significant turmoil in which a former acting U.S. attorney alleged the Justice Department and Adams reached a deal in which he wouldn’t face prosecution and would assist the administration in its priorities. 

Adams has maintained his innocence and denied that any deal took place. 

Also in the race is Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and independent Jim Walden.