Eric Adams' decision to not seek a second term as mayor of New York on November 4 marked both the sunset of a unique political career and the start of intense maneuvering in the race to lead the United States' largest city. The announcement, made Sunday, September 28, just five weeks before the vote, reshuffled the deck in a race that had seemed to be an open path for Zohran Mamdani, the young democratic socialist candidate.

In a nine-minute video posted to his social media accounts, Adams, seated on the stairs of his Brooklyn home next to a portrait of his mother, explained his decision. Observers of the campaign had increasingly anticipated such a move, having noted the absence of campaign events for more than a week. "I cannot continue my re-election campaign. The constant media speculation about my future and the campaign finance board's decision to withhold millions of dollars have undermined my ability to raise the funds needed for a serious campaign," he said.

In fact, the 65-year-old mayor's withdrawal had less to do with the press and donors than with a string of poor poll results and suspicions surrounding his four years at the helm of New York City Hall. "I was wrongly accused because I fought for this city, and if I had to do it all over again, I would fight for New York again," he said. With polls showing him at around 8%, voters in the city did not appear ready to give him the benefit of the doubt.

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