NYC Mayor considered switching to Republican Party for mayoral run: Report

• New York City Mayor Eric Adams reportedly thought about switching to the Republican Party in an effort to get a second term. The news was revealed after the Justice Department moved to drop Adams’ federal case.
• In September 2024, Adams was indicted on five counts including bribery, conspiracy and campaign finance violations. 
• Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been speculated to enter the race but has not officially joined the pool yet.

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who is facing a tough reelection bid, reportedly considered switching to the Republican Party. The potential move came to light after President Donald Trump’s Justice Department worked to drop Adams’ federal corruption case.

The New York Times reported that Adams, for weeks, toyed with changing his party affiliation to Republican for this spring’s primary.

The DOJ ordered prosecutors on Monday, Feb. 10, to dismiss Adams’ federal case. The Justice Department sided with his claim that the charges under the Biden administration were politically motivated and hampered his ability to combat the migrant crisis in his city.

What is Adams accused of in his federal case?

Adams was indicted in September 2024 after being accused of accepting bribes and illegal straw donations for his campaigns from Turkish government officials in exchange for political favors. 

He pleaded not guilty to all charges. 

The DOJ’s directive asks the case be dismissed without prejudice, which means charges could be refiled in the future.

Adams, who was once a member of the Republican Party before becoming the mayor of New York City as a Democrat, has recently spent time with President Trump at the president’s home in Mar-a-Lago. Adams also attended Trump’s inauguration.

It’s unclear whether Trump or members of his administration played any role in the discussions about the mayor’s possible political future.

Will former Gov. Andrew Cuomo run for NYC mayor?

There has been speculation that former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will enter the mayor’s race. He appears to be the favorite among Democratic voters. 

In a recent poll from the Hill, Emerson College and Pix11 News, 33% said Cuomo is their top choice for mayor, while Adams came in second with 10% of Democratic voters saying he’s their top choice.

According to The Times, Adams spoke about his political options with Bronx Republican Party Chairman Mike Rendino on Monday, Feb. 10.

Who did Adams talk with about a move to the GOP?

Rendino said he laid out options for Adams over the phone, telling him he could either join the Republican Party or get a waiver called the Wilson Pakula certificate from Republican county leaders to run on their ballot without changing parties. 

Rendino said Adams never gave him a decision one way or the other.

However, Mayor Adams told The Times Wednesday, Feb. 12, he won’t be running as a Republican and would soon be collecting signatures to get on the Democratic ballot.

If Adams were to switch to Republican, New Yorkers, including the mayor, have until Friday, Feb. 14, to change party affiliation.