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After Cuomo enters campaign, Mayor Adams strikes reflective tone

By

Elizabeth Kim

Published Mar 6, 2025

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Mayor Adams with his head in his hands.

 

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

By

Elizabeth Kim

Published Mar 6, 2025

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This column originally appeared in The Politics Brief, our new weekly newsletter on the people, power and policies that shape New Yorkers' lives .

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Mayor Eric Adams, whose brash confidence has defined his first term, now sounds subdued.

On Monday, he reflected on his legacy as New York City’s 110th mayor and the second Black person to hold that office.

“I walk around at night and look at these pictures on here and I only see David Dinkins,” he told reporters. “My picture will be in City Hall. I'm 110. That's been the greatest thrill of my life to get here. And that was the meat and potato. Term two is the gravy. I have a full stomach with the meat and potatoes.”

Strange words from a mayor running for re-election – and a self-avowed vegan, no less.

Adams’ path to victory appears narrow. Multiple polls have shown former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who officially entered the mayoral race over the weekend, leading the crowded field by double digits.

Uncertainty continues to swirl around Adams’ indictment. A judge still must decide whether to grant the Department of Justice’s move to dismiss the corruption charges against Adams so he can assist President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Congressional Democrats are pushing to investigate the effort to drop Adams’ case.

All of this has given way to a vibe shift at City Hall. When I asked the mayor to assess Cuomo’s record, he told me he’d save his words for the campaign trail. It’s a notable departure from how he’s responded to other rivals. Remember his impression of Brad Lander?

Meanwhile, Cuomo, who also isn’t shy about taking shots at rivals, has said little to nothing about the mayor’s legal troubles and the crisis brought on by his entanglement with Trump.

During his first one-on-one interview since declaring his candidacy, Cuomo tiptoed around the mayor’s indictment and described the Adams-Trump relationship as the result of “a very particular set of circumstances and facts.”

When asked if he believed the mayor was compromised, Cuomo responded: “You’d have to ask Mayor Adams that question. I know it’s a complicated transaction they entered into.”

The muted remarks on both sides have raised speculation in political circles about a possible non-aggression pact. Cuomo and Adams are both connected with power broker Frank Carone, a close friend and adviser to the mayor who has also been communicating regularly with Cuomo’s inner circle, according to Politico.

Adams has occasionally taken lighthearted digs at Cuomo. When asked to respond to the former governor’s statement that the city needed to be saved, Adams said, “Yes, I do believe we need to be saved from him.”

He’ll need to make that case if he really wants to win.

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Elizabeth Kim

Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]

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