Jessica Ramos, a progressive state senator from Queens, announced Friday that she will join an increasingly crowded field of candidates preparing to challenge Mayor Eric Adams in next year’s primary.
Ramos, 39, becomes the fourth Democrat — and the first woman — planning to derail the mayor’s re-election bid. In an interview, she said Adams’ ability to manage the city has increasingly come under question, particularly as the mayor’s top aides find themselves embroiled in a litany of investigations and lawsuits. While the mayor has not been accused of wrongdoing, he faces poor approval numbers and growing concerns that he is unable to focus on governing.
“I think as of late, with all of the scandals surrounding his administration, it’s more evident than ever that the mayor is distracted and not able to grind,” Ramos said, making reference to a frequent Adams mantra.
Most recently, NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban resigned Thursday amid a federal investigation involving the IRS. He is the second police commissioner to resign under Adams.
She added that the city had become “divisive and polarized” under Adams and that she would usher “a new era for New Yorkers” that bridges differences between residents in different boroughs and focuses on making the city more affordable.
She joins a race that already includes City Comptroller Brad Lander, the first Democrat to officially announce his challenge against Adams. State Sen. Zellnor Myrie of Brooklyn and former Comptroller Scott Stringer have both launched exploratory committees and are considered likely to run.
Ramos was elected in 2018 as part of a progressive wave that ousted moderate incumbents. Prior to that, she worked for labor unions and the de Blasio administration. She got her start in politics as a staffer for Hiram Monserrate, a former city councilmember and state senator who was convicted on domestic assault and corruption charges.
She has been a vocal critic of Adams on issues ranging from his handling of the migrant crisis to severe weather events to his cuts to municipal services. After the city eliminated seats from its 3-K program amid uneven demand, she accused the mayor of having “decimated” the program at a point when she said the city should be moving toward universal child care.
Last year, after FBI agents seized Adams’ digital devices as part of a federal investigation into fundraising for his 2021 campaign, Ramos drew attention with a foreshadowing statement: “Someone should primary the mayor.”
When several more Adams aides and associates had their homes raided last week, in an apparently unrelated investigation, Ramos tweeted: “I’m tired of this, aren’t you?”
Her entry into the race comes amid signs that at least one of the federal investigations, which appears to be partly focused on illegal foreign donations and has clouded the mayor’s political future, intensified over the summer. Last month, Adams acknowledged that he and members of campaign had received federal grand jury subpoenas in July, which legal experts said may signal that prosecutors were wrapping up their case.
Ramos, a first-generation Colombian American who grew up in Jackson Heights, has advocated for protections for immigrants, including those who are undocumented. She has worked on legislation related to delivery workers, food vendors and domestic workers.
Her personal story and track record could help her peel away support from a key portion of the mayor’s base. Polls have shown that Adams’ approval ratings among Latinos has steadily fallen over the course of his term.
At the same time, she isn’t as well-known as some of Adams’ other challengers who hold citywide office. Her challenges will include boosting her name recognition and raising money to prove that she can be competitive. New Yorkers have also never elected a woman as mayor — a dubious distinction that could signal a challenge for Ramos.
Ramos has also gained attention for her ongoing clash with New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, who is seeking a license from the state to operate a casino at Willets Point, next door to Citi Field.
The senator opposes Cohen’s casino project, which has caused major headaches for the billionaire and his team of lobbyists in Albany.
In order to open a casino, Cohen needs the state Legislature to approve a bill allowing him to do so, since the parking lots surrounding the Mets’ stadium are technically designated as parkland. Ramos — who represents the area — has declined to introduce the bill in the Senate, which has, to this point, kept it from being passed.
Ramos defeated incumbent state Sen. Jose Peralta in 2018. Peralta had drawn the ire of progressive Democrats for joining with a breakaway conference of lawmakers who’d previously allied with Senate Republicans.
The field of mayoral contenders could still grow. Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, a second-term progressive from Queens, is also said to be considering a run.
But with most of the political world focused on the presidential race, the mayoral candidates have yet to publicly campaign beyond fundraisers.
Ramos said she planned to start talking to voters across the city and is planning to hold a press conference on Saturday.
“A lot of people think tweeting is campaigning and governing,” she said. “Well, now I’m running for mayor, so buckle up.”