Just a few days ago, the re-election path of New York City Mayor Eric Adams was still considered bleak. He had been severely hit by a federal corruption investigation and a decline in support within the Democratic Party, making him seem like a political figure facing an uphill battle. However, today, a dramatic reversal of his fortunes is unfolding.
The game-changer is 33-year-old State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. He caused a major upset by defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary election day and is now almost certain to become the Democratic mayoral candidate for the November general election. This outcome has shocked the political arena and has led many moderate voters and donors to reconsider whether they should switch their support to Adams, who is running as an independent candidate.
According to 1010 WINS reports, some of Cuomo’s major donors have urged him to withdraw from the race to avoid splitting the vote and inadvertently benefiting Mamdani. These donors have also begun reaching out to Adams to discuss restructuring his campaign strategy.
On Wednesday evening, Adams held a fundraising and staff meeting and unveiled a brand new campaign slogan: “Deliver. Never Quits.” showing a resurgence of his momentum.
Honorary Chairman of Newmark Real Estate Company, Jeff Gural, expressed his interest in seeing if Adams could make a comeback. He had previously donated to Cuomo’s political action committee and openly stated his preference for Adams to win.
Cuomo’s major supporters include Wall Street tycoons Bill Ackman, Dan Loeb, real estate mogul Steven Roth, and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, among others, who collectively raised over $30 million, at one point overshadowing Adams’ fundraising efforts.
Mamdani’s campaign platform of taxing the wealthy and raising corporate taxes has successfully ignited the enthusiasm of young voters, propelling him to stand out in the primary. Following this, Adams’ support quietly rose in predicted polls, indicating that he still has room for a comeback.
“Adams has been doing well recently, with excellent choices for police commissioner and deputy mayor by his side, overall leading the city on the right track,” said Gural.
Scott Rechler, CEO of RXR Realty Group, also urged a reduction in the number of candidates in the race, stating, “If it ends up being a three-way race between Adams, Cuomo, and the Republican candidate, it may let Mamdani benefit the most.”
On the other hand, Ackman, who holds a critical stance on Mamdani, has not explicitly declared support for any candidate but expressed admiration for Adams on social media, saying, “I do not rule out supporting him in the future.”
In conclusion, 1010 WINS humorously summarized: “What Cuomo lost is what Adams gained.”