NYC political insiders mull Adams’ future with criminal case tossed:
By Craig McCarthy, Carl Campanile, David Propper and Matt Troutman
He’s back from the dead — or is he?
Mayor Eric Adams could see a “Lazarus”-like political resurrection now that he’s free from his criminal case, especially if the tarnished Democrat runs for re-election as an independent, insiders told The Post Wednesday.
An independent run would give Adams more time to build the campaign operation that he so far hasn’t for the Democratic primary in June, owing to the corruption case hanging over his head, the politicos said.
“I don’t see how in three months he can win the Democratic primary,” said former Gov. David Paterson. “But an independent candidacy is an interesting play.”
“If he can raise the money and move up in the polls, it will send the message that he’s Lazarus — and coming back a lot faster than Lazarus did,” Paterson chuckled, referring to the New Testament figure miraculously resurrected by Jesus Christ.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams delivers remarks to the media outside of Gracie Mansion on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
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Mayor Eric Adams declared “I’m going to win” after a judge officially dismissed his case Wednesday.
Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
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But not all operatives were as optimistic about Adams’ future in New York City politics.
Some, in the words of one analysts, still see him as a “dead man walking.”
“His cake is cooked and it’s not like people believe he’s innocent… If he was exonerated in a trial it may be different,” said another political operative.
The political fallout from the corruption case’s dismissal remained to be seen Wednesday, but Adams wasted no time in trying to put the ordeal behind him and refocus on his re-election campaign.
The mayor first gave a valedictory address from Gracie Mansion — declaring “I’m going to win” from its steps — and then agreed to participate in a mayoral candidate forum Thursday for the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network.
Mayor Eric Adams and Speaker Adrienne Adams join Reverend Al Sharpton in the opening ceremony/ribbon cutting for the National Action Network (NAN) 2025 Convention, held at the the NYC Sheraton Hotel, 811 7th Ave., NYC.
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Adams will attend a National Action Network mayoral campaign forum Thursday.
Matthew McDermott
But many practical questions remained about Adams’ mostly nonexistent campaign, where he badly trails frontrunner former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and runner-up democratic socialist Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani both in the polls and in recent fundraising.
For Adams to even make it on the Democratic primary ballot, he has until midnight Thursday to turn in at least 3,750 petitions signed by registered New York City votes.
His campaign also only raised a dismal $36,000 last quarter and has seemingly made little effort to fight a decision denying him access to lucrative 8-to-1 taxpayer-funded matching dollars — leaving the operation with roughly $3 million on hand against better-funded opponents.
Adams’ camp did not answer questions about whether the mayor would now seek to reverse the denial, or if he had enough petitions to hand in.
“One step at a time,” his campaign spokesperson said.
Sources close to Adams’ inner circle were ecstatic and eager to campaign following the judge’s ruling killing the criminal charges.
“Only thing i must say is, ‘Game on,'” one source in the mayor’s camp said.
“There is nothing going to stop Eric Adams now,” another said.
Adams has been a prolific campaigner in past elections, making his relative absence in the primary so far all the more noteworthy.
He also has the power of the incumbency, giving him the bully pulpit and a chance to make up for the “steep hill” he has to climb, said political consultant John Tomlin, senior managing director Actum.
Running as an independent would give Adams even more time, Tomlin said.
“If he’s gonna try to make a case for the general election as an independent, then sure that’ll give him more time to build up a real operation,” he said.
Campaign strategist O’Brien “OB” Murray, who isn’t working for Adams, said the mayor should kiss any hopes of winning the Democratic primary goodbye.
But Murray said Adams still has a path to victory.
“This is day one of Eric Adams’ independent candidacy for mayor,” he said. “Voters now have an opportunity to look at the mayor’s record without the distraction of a court case.”
Former New York Governor and NYC mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo speaks at West Side Institutional Synagogue on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
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Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is considered the frontrunner in the mayoral campaign.
Stephen Yang
Candidate for New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference while campaigning outside a Subway station in New York City, U.S., April 1, 2025.
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Socialist firebrand Zohran Mamdani is ahead of Adams in the polls and recent fundraising.
REUTERS
Other analysts weren’t so sure.
Spencer Kimball, director of Emerson College Polling, said Adams may have prevailed in the court of law, but only a quarter of New York City voters surveyed in February had supported dismissing the case against the mayor.
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Adams’ poll numbers in the primary stand at 8%, trailing Cuomo by 30 points in the primary, Kimball said.
“Even in a general election as an independent candidate, Adams garners just 11% of the vote compared to Cuomo’s 43%,” he said.
Doug Muzzio, a retired public affairs professor at Baruch College, offered a blunt appraisal of Adams’ political future.
“Stick a fork in him. He’s a dead man walking,” he said. “He’s dirty and the feds have evidence of it. It’s not only close to impossible for him to win re-election, it is impossible.”
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