Eric Adams On A Lonely Island As Mayor’s Race Gets Underway

NEW YORK — Eric Adams finds himself in a strange and lonely spot: An incumbent mayor of the nation’s largest city, running for reelection with a skeleton campaign crew and some of his closest aides distancing themselves as his federal corruption case plods along.

Adams insisted his team will begin collecting signatures to get on the ballot Tuesday, as he fends off challengers in a Democratic primary that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is getting ready to enter.

But the mayor doesn’t appear to have much of a campaign apparatus and has been denied more than $4 million in public matching funds — an unenviable spot as the primary kicks off Tuesday with the start of petitioning.

“Yes, I’m running,” he told one reporter at a wide-ranging press conference Monday, when asked whether he will remain in office and seek reelection. “Petitions will be in the streets. So please, if you see one with my name on it, please sign it.”

He assured another reporter his campaign will have a website, though it doesn’t yet with just four months until the primary.

It is also unclear who will manage his campaign, who will work as his general consultant and who will produce his ads and mailers.

Two of his closest advisers who have remained in his political orbit since working on his 2021 race — Evan Thies of Pythia Public Affairs and Nathan Smith of Red Horse Strategies — declined to comment on their roles in his reelection. Thies managed press relations four years ago and has continued to advise the mayor on public policy and politics. Smith, who has a long and close relationship with Adams, is the founding partner of one of New York’s premier political consulting firms.

Ingrid Lewis-Martin, another of Adams’ oldest and longest serving aides, also declined to comment on her role in Adams’ reelection. She removed herself from his immediate orbit in City Hall as she fights corruption charges brought by the Manhattan district attorney. Over the years, she has been central to maintaining Adams’ connection to his base of religious Black voters.

Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, who vociferously defends Adams amid calls for his resignation, did not respond to several messages asking about her role in his campaign. She endorsed him and was active in his 2021 race, though the Brooklyn Democratic Party she leads opted out of an endorsement.

Adams has some staff — he’s paying a fundraiser, Michael Giaccio of Bedford Grove; a pollster, Benjamin Tulchin of Tulchin Research; and campaign compliance attorney Vito Pitta. And despite his mountain of legal, financial and political troubles, Adams has one advantage eluding the rest of the candidates: The bully pulpit that comes with being the mayor of New York City.

Another longtime adviser, Frank Carone, said he's sticking by the mayor — though he acknowledged to POLITICO last week he stays in close contact with the Cuomo camp.

“I will fill any leadership role the mayor needs or asks including but not limited to providing counsel and brain trust to workshop ideas, being a sounding board and friend and fighting for when necessary!” Carone said in a message.

He said the Brooklyn-based law firm he was part of, Abrams Fensterman, will also “provide election law support.”

Rivals have been pouncing on the deal Adams’ attorneys struck with President Donald Trump’s Justice Department this month: Recommending charges of bribery be dismissed in exchange for his assistance on Trump’s immigration agenda. The mayor and his lawyer, Alex Spiro, have denied any quid pro quo, but several federal prosecutors alleged it as they quit in protest of the deal.

Adams downplayed his lack of campaign infrastructure as the election nears.

“I like to use a sports analogy. This is the season. The playoffs starts once petitions are actually completed,” at the beginning of April, he said Monday. “There’s a lot of time ‘til June.”