New York Mayor Eric Adams is facing a challenge from the city’s progressive Comptroller Brad Lander in the upcoming 2025 mayoral race. Adams was first elected in 2021, defeating several progressive candidates in a closely contested election. Since taking office, Adams’ tenure has been marked by challenges such as a large influx of migrants, high housing costs, and homelessness, leading to a divided opinion among New Yorkers. While progressives criticize his policies, conservatives take issue with his handling of the migrant crisis and public safety. Adams’ low approval rating has opened the door for a challenger, with Lander being the first high-profile Democrat to announce his candidacy.
Polling data on the upcoming mayoral race is limited, with a poll from the Manhattan Institute showing that a majority of New Yorkers would prefer to vote for “someone else” over Adams. This suggests a potential opening for a candidate like Lander to gain traction among voters. However, a Slingshot Strategies poll from 2023 indicated that Adams held a lead over Lander, with Adams garnering 48 percent of the vote compared to Lander’s 17 percent. Despite this, Adams has faced criticism for his low job approval rating, with a Quinnipiac University poll revealing that only 28 percent of respondents approved of his performance in office.
Adams’ initial election victory in 2021 was the first to utilize ranked-choice voting in New York City’s mayoral race Democratic primary. This system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, with the candidate who reaches 50 percent winning the election. Adams received 30.7 percent of the vote in the first round, ultimately reaching 50.4 percent after ranked-choice, narrowly defeating Kathryn Garcia. In the general election, Adams secured a victory with 67.4 percent of the vote, overshadowing his Republican opponent Curtis Sliwa.
Lander’s candidacy as a progressive alternative to Adams has focused on issues such as the reversal of library funding cuts, housing, child care, and park cleanliness. By highlighting these key concerns, Lander aims to differentiate himself from Adams and appeal to a broader base of voters. While polling indicates dissatisfaction with Adams’ leadership, especially among progressives and conservatives, the outcome of the mayoral race remains uncertain as the election is still more than a year away. With New Yorkers voicing their preferences for a change in leadership, the 2025 mayoral race promises to be a closely watched and highly contested political event in the city.
