Edited by: TJVNews.com

In a political gamble of historic proportions, Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday that he will not seek the Democratic nomination for a second term as mayor of New York City. Instead, the embattled incumbent is making a longshot bid to hold onto City Hall as an independent candidate in the general election—a move that, as reported by The New York Post, comes just one day after a federal judge threw out the corruption case that had cast a shadow over his administration for months.

In a six-minute campaign video released to the public, Adams framed the announcement as a return to political independence and resilience, citing what he called a months-long drag on his credibility caused by “false accusations” and a criminal investigation that he insists was politically motivated.

“More than 25,000 New Yorkers signed my Democratic primary petition,” Adams said, “but the dismissal of the bogus case against me dragged on too long, making it impossible to mount a primary campaign while these false accusations were held over me.”

“But I’m not a quitter,” he added defiantly. “I’m a New Yorker.”

According to the information provided in The New York Post report, insiders say Adams had been weighing an independent run for weeks as his legal battle dragged through the courts. The decision to forgo the primary marks a significant departure from conventional political strategy in the nation’s most reliably Democratic city, where no independent candidate has ever won the mayoralty.

Still, Adams insists that the political center—not the left or right extremes—is where he has always belonged.

“I firmly believe that this city is better served by truly independent leadership,” he said, as was noted in The New York Post report.  “Not leaders pulled at by the extremists on the far left or the far right, but instead those rooted in the common middle, the place where the vast majority of New Yorkers are firmly planted.”

That messaging, while clearly designed to appeal to the city’s centrist and swing voters, will be put to the test in a general election that is shaping up to be a referendum not only on Adams’ policies, but on his conduct in office and his ability to govern free of scandal.

Adams’ announcement came just 24 hours after federal Judge Dale Ho issued a sweeping decision that not only dismissed the federal corruption case against the mayor, but did so with prejudice—a crucial legal distinction that means the case cannot be refiled in the future.

As The New York Post reported, Ho went even further than Justice Department officials had requested. The Trump-era DOJ had sought to dismiss the charges without prejudice, a move Ho criticized as an attempt to leave a political sword hanging over Adams’ head indefinitely. Instead, Ho’s ruling aimed to bring a definitive end to a case that, according to the judge, had been politically tainted from the beginning.

Still, Adams acknowledged the damage may already be done.

“I know that the accusations leveled against me may have shaken your confidence in me and that you may rightly have questions about my conduct,” he said in his video address, as was reported by The New York Post. “And let me be clear, although the charges against me were false, I trusted people I should not have and I regret that.”

“But the issues I face are nothing compared to yours,” he added, in an attempt to refocus his campaign on everyday New Yorkers.

Despite his renewed energy, Adams now faces one of the steepest uphill climbs in New York City electoral history. Without the backing of the Democratic Party and with sagging public approval ratings after a scandal-laden first term, the path to re-election through a general election campaign will be brutally narrow.

According to the information in The New York Post report, Adams plans to formally submit petitions to the Board of Elections on May 27, bypassing Thursday’s deadline for Democratic candidates—a list that reportedly includes political heavyweights like former Governor Andrew Cuomo.

To secure a spot on the November ballot, Adams will need approximately 3,750 valid signatures—a hurdle he’s expected to clear easily. But money remains a serious concern. The New York Post report said that as of last month, Adams had just $3 million cash on hand, following a dismal fundraising period in which he raised a meager $36,000—a paltry sum for a citywide race in New York.

While some of Adams’ allies believe his charisma and on-the-ground political instincts could spark what one described to The New York Post as a “Lazarus-like” comeback, others believe the clock has run out.

Adams’ decision not only reshapes the race for City Hall—it may also reconfigure the broader political dynamics in the city. As The New York Post reported, his pivot away from the Democratic primary highlights a growing rift between establishment Democrats and party outsiders, and may also open the door for more challengers who see a weakened incumbent now running without party support.

Whether Adams can defy political gravity remains to be seen. But in launching an independent bid amid scandal, legal entanglements, and dwindling political capital, he has turned this year’s mayoral election into one of the most unpredictable contests New York has seen in decades.

“Ultimately,” Adams said in his campaign video, “it will be up to you who runs this city for the next four years. As someone who has always fought for you and who is accountable to only you, I hope I can earn your vote.”