'They can't dictate the outcome': What Zohran Mamdani said after Eric Adams dropped out of New York mayoral race

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Sunday (Sep 29) dropped from his re-election bid in November's New York mayoral elections. While some are calling this a boost to Zohran Mamdani, others are saying it a direct contest between Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo. Reacting to decision by Adam, Mamdani said that it doesn't really change anything for him as he was focussed on the race to defeat the ‘failed politics’ of both Adams and Cuomo. He also questioned the involvement of US President Donald Trump in the race. Meanwhile, Cuomo termed Adams as ‘sincere’ and warned New Yorkers to vote against Mamdani.

Speaking to Eyewitness News, Mamdani said, "It's a race between us and the failed politics that we've seen, whether it's Andrew Cuomo or Eric Adams," he said. "It's a politics where Donald Trump and billionaire donors are determining the actions of failed executives. We're going to show that they can't dictate the outcome of this race." Mamdani also expressed strong confidence in winning the general election, saying that his campaign is the only one with a clear plan to address New York City's affordability crisis by directly engaging with residents across all five boroughs.

What Cuomo said?

Andrew Cuomo praised Mayor Adams for withdrawing from the race, calling it a selfless act for the city's good. He warned that a win by Democrat Zohran Mamdani would be dangerous for New York. He also highlighted that Adams’ exit significantly changes the race dynamics. Cuomo also noted he hasn’t spoken to Adams or Republican Curtis Sliwa, whom he dismissed as non-viable. ""I believe Mayor Adams is 100% sincere. I applaud his selflessness. …There's now more attention on just me than just Mr. Mamdani, it is a two person race... Now we can juxtapose the two philosophies, and people can see those facts," he told Eyewitness News.

Why Eric Adams dropped from the race?

In a video statement that was approximately nine minutes long, Mayor Adams announced he’s ending his re-election campaign, citing media scrutiny and the city’s campaign finance board withholding funds over suspicious donations. Seated beside a photo of his late mother, he acknowledged losing public trust after corruption charges, which he claimed were unjust. Adams defended his actions as fighting for the city but did not address the allegations in detail. He will finish his term, ending on New Year’s Eve, though his name will remain on the November ballot as the day for withdrawing has already passed.