Mayor Eric Adams expressed a laid-back attitude about his electoral future, stating he would be fine even if he didn’t succeed in his unlikely reelection effort. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, he reflected on his time in office and the accomplishments in his life with a sense of contentment.
“Who cares what happens next semester? You know, who cares?” Adams remarked after withdrawing from the crowded Democratic primary to run as an independent in the upcoming general election.
“I’ve achieved everything I wanted to in life,” he noted. “I can’t complain. I wake up every day, relax on the back porch of Gracie Mansion, enjoy a smoothie, and think, ‘Damn, life is good.’”
Despite facing federal corruption allegations, those charges were dismissed when the Trump administration took office, resulting in confusion among local prosecutors eager for their day in court.
His comments followed questions from journalists about whether he missed participating in the Democratic primary as the election date approached. Adams had been polling well before his decision to leave the primary race.
“I think it’s fine to see where things go next. I’ll be okay,” he added.
The mayor expressed frustration regarding campaign funding, noting the city’s Campaign Finance Committee had restricted him and others from accessing taxpayer matching funds.
Due to previous legal troubles, Adams himself received no funding from the Campaign Finance Board. He remarked on the necessity of reducing money’s influence in politics but didn’t delve deeply into his own campaign finance issues.
“I’m the 110th mayor. Whether I’m 111 or not doesn’t matter,” Adams said during the press briefing. He mentioned that if the city aimed for a particular level of signatures, it would be a more effective investment, contrasting it with the millions raised for campaigns.
Despite missing out on around $4 million in matching funds due to scrutiny from the CFB, his team still managed to run advertisements and campaigns but emphasized that winning isn’t everything.
“I’m the 110th mayor. If I’m 111, or if I’m not 110,” he reiterated.
