Zohran Mamdani Enters Race to Challenge Mayor Eric Adams

Zohran Mamdani, a progressive and outspoken member of the New York State Assembly representing Queens, is set to announce his candidacy for the mayoral race on Wednesday. This decision comes amid growing concerns regarding the political future of Mayor Eric Adams, who is currently grappling with mounting scrutiny following his indictment on federal corruption charges last month.

With Mr. Mamdani entering the fray, he becomes the fifth significant Democratic contender aiming to unseat Mr. Adams, whose administration has faced increasing turmoil and the resignation of several key aides.

In an interview, Mr. Mamdani expressed his belief that Mayor Adams has fundamentally failed the people of New York City. He plans to center his campaign around the pressing issue of the city’s affordability crisis, highlighting the daily struggles faced by residents.

“City Hall is engulfed in corruption, but it is the outrageous cost of living that most people are talking about,” he stated. “New Yorkers are being crushed by rent and child care. Working people are getting pushed out of the city they built.”

Mr. Mamdani’s campaign kickoff video outlines his vision for a more equitable city. In it, he advocates for measures such as freezing rents on stabilized apartments and holds both Mayor Adams and former Governor Andrew M. Cuomo accountable for the current state of affairs in New York City, as Cuomo, too, is weighing a run in the Democratic primary next June.

“Life in this city doesn’t need to be this hard, but politicians like Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo want it to be this way,” he asserts in the video. “They care about their donors, they care about themselves. They don’t care about you — the working class who keep this city running.”

How Eric Adams Could Leave Office, and Who Hopes to Succeed Him

As the political landscape shifts, Mayor Adams’s future remains uncertain following his indictment. Federal prosecutors are investigating him in connection with several inquiries that have cast a shadow over City Hall.