State Sen. Jessica Ramos on Friday joined the ranks of Democratic candidates vying to unseat Mayor Eric Adams in next year's primary election as the incumbent mayor and his administration become embroiled in multiple federal investigations.
Ramos, 39, announced his candidacy for mayor the day after Police Commissioner Edward Cabán, an Adams appointee, resigned following an investigation into allegations of abuse of power by the twin brothers of the police department's former top brass.
She has served in the state senate representing parts of Queens since 2019, after defeating the late Sen. Jose Peralta, who was part of the now-disbanded Independent Democratic Conference that worked with Republicans to pass the bill.
Ramos, a former aide to former Mayor Bill de Blasio, will join fellow state Sen. Zellnor Miley, city Comptroller Brad Lander and former Comptroller Scott Stringer as challengers to Adams.
Adams won the mayor's office in 2021 after winning a hotly contested Democratic primary, but his office has been in turmoil over the past year, with several of his close aides named as targets of a federal investigation that includes allegations of bribery between City Hall and the Turkish government.
A separate investigation also involved aide Winnie Greco, whose two homes were searched in connection with a possible dummy blood-donation scheme, sources told The Washington Post earlier this year.
Kayban, who had been Gotham's top police officer for just over a year, resigned on Thursday after last week's attack targeted him, other senior police officers and aides to Adams.
Ramos, who grew up in Astoria, is known as a strong supporter of labor unions and has in the past criticized Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for her absence in a district they both partially control.
