Adrienne Adams: A New Contender for NYC Mayor
New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams was on her way to a quiet retirement. Now the low-key politician is being drafted to run for mayor in a last-ditch effort by some of the state’s biggest political power players to block former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The possible late entrance into the race to oust the indicted Eric Adams speaks to the depth of frustration and anxiety New Yorkers are feeling about their choices.
The Push for Change
The effort to recruit the 64-year-old council speaker, a Black woman from Queens who bears no relation to Mayor Eric Adams, is picking up steam. Attorney General Letitia James — a Democrat who has warred with Cuomo — is among those making phone calls promoting the council speaker’s potential candidacy.
Leaders of District Council 37, the largest municipal union in New York, are also supporting the effort. Union president Henry Garrido would only say the labor organization will undergo a standard candidate endorsement process.
Challenges and Opportunities
Eric Adams appears to have a near-impossible path to reelection. Cuomo, who resigned from the governorship in 2021 amid controversy, is leading the polls and expected to jump into the race. Adrienne Adams, with relatively low name ID, would further cut into a portion of that base as she hails from Southeast Queens — a primarily middle-class Black area where voters turn out in high numbers.
Adams, term-limited at the end of the year, has been firm in her lack of interest in running for higher office. However, she’s warming up to the idea following encouragement from various political figures.
The Road Ahead
Adrienne Adams would face serious challenges if she were to launch a campaign just four months before the June Democratic primary. She has no real campaign infrastructure and has a low profile outside the city’s political class.
The push to draft Adrienne Adams is just the latest effort by political players to pull new candidates into the race. While the path forward may be challenging, Adams' potential candidacy adds an intriguing dynamic to the mayoral race.
Stay tuned for more updates as this political saga unfolds.
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