The race to unseat Mayor Eric Adams heated up this week when city Comptroller Brad Lander officially announced he’s entering next June’s primary.
Lander joins a field of two other left-leaning Democrats who are arguing that they can manage the city better than Adams. The last time an incumbent mayor faced a primary challenge was in 1989, when three-term Mayor Ed Koch faced three opponents in a Democratic primary and lost to David Dinkins.
Adams’ poll numbers indicate a disgruntled electorate. One survey found he had a historically low 28% approval rate driven by budget cuts, his handling of the migrant crisis, and the ongoing federal investigation into his fundraising.
But his opponents still face an uphill battle. Adams is using his bully pulpit to tout what he views as his wins: job growth, declining crime, and policy initiatives on housing and sanitation. He also has more money than his competitors. Adams’ campaign says his war chest could grow to $8 million under the city’s matching funds program, although he could potentially face the looming threat of campaign finance fines.
All this suggests that New Yorkers may see a feisty battle in a ranked-choice election that could yield strategic alliances among candidates.
Here’s a brief rundown of who’s in the running so far.
Brad Lander
Lander, 55, is promising to deliver affordability and improved quality of life to the city. He’s a progressive policy wonk with ties to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and began his campaign by arguing that the city needs better leadership.
“I believe I can deliver the safer, more affordable, more livable, and better run city that New Yorkers are hungry for,” he told Gothamist in an interview.
Adams has dismissed Lander as “the loudest person in the city.” Lander’s position as comptroller gives him a platform to scrutinize Adams’ management of the city. His office’s audit of the city’s no-bid emergency contracts for migrant services found that the city squandered millions of dollars.
Strength: Lander boasts the highest name recognition among the challengers, especially in the voter-rich brownstone belt of Brooklyn’s Park Slope, which he represented in the City Council for three terms. As the city comptroller, he has unique insight into how Adams runs the city.
Weakness: He will have to distinguish himself from two other left-leaning Democrats who are also attacking Adams’ management of the city. And as a white progressive, he will need to prove that he can appeal to some moderates and voters of color, including the Black and Latino New Yorkers who make up the mayor’s base.
Early campaign pledge: Lander says that as mayor he will end street homelessness for all who are mentally ill.
Zellnor Myrie
Zellnor Myrie, 37, is a state senator from Brooklyn who is best known for being part of a wave of left-leaning Democrats that toppled moderate incumbents in 2018. But when he announced his exploratory bid in May, he took a non-ideological stance rooted in practical needs.
“What do everyday New Yorkers care about? They care about clean streets, safe subways and good schools and opportunities,” he told Gothamist. “It’s not a conservative, progressive or moderate thing. It’s a ‘who can deliver and make the city affordable and livable’ thing.”
Strength: As an Afro-Latino candidate, Myrie may be able to peel away support from the mayor’s base, as well as younger progressive voters. He represents Adams’ old district, which includes Crown Heights and Park Slope.
Weakness: Myrie lacks name recognition, and will need to raise money to boost his profile.
Early campaign pledge: He is advocating for “universal after-school,” which would provide free after-school programming to the poorest families before eventually expanding to include everyone. The state is performing a feasibility study for a statewide program under legislation he proposed.
Scott Stringer
Scott Stringer, 64, a former city comptroller and Manhattan borough president, is running as a veteran of city government who says he can bring management know-how and financial acumen to the job. Stringer, who formed an exploratory committee in January, was notably Adams’ first challenger.
Stringer hasn’t been shy about criticizing Adams, whom he challenged in the 2021 Democratic primary for mayor.
“I think this mayor has not met the moment for the city,” he told Gothamist, criticizing Adams’ record on housing, education, subway crime and mental health. “Mayors are supposed to do big things.”
Strength: Stringer is viewed as a strong retail politician who’s still popular in his political stronghold, the Upper West Side. In 2021, he formed an impressive coalition that drew support from a diverse group of progressives and unions.
Weakness: He faces baggage from allegations of unwanted sexual advances from two women who spoke out during the 2021 campaign. The accusations from Jean Kim, a former campaign volunteer and Teresa Logan, who worked at a bar he once owned, tanked his bid. Prior to announcing his exploratory committee, Stringer sued Kim for defamation. The case is ongoing.
Early campaign pledge: He told the New York Times that he would focus on creating more affordable housing and referred to a 27-point housing plan he rolled out during the 2021 mayoral campaign.