September 28, 2025

Adams suspends 2025 re-election campaign after federal case is dismissed

+14

Mayor exits race 35 days before election facing 16 federal counts

🔐Ethics🗳️Elections🏙️Local Issues

Eric Adams suspended his re-election campaign on Sep. 28, 2025. This date is 37 days before the Nov. 4, 2025 general election.

A Manhattan federal judge, Dale E. Ho, dismissed the federal corruption case against Adams 'with prejudice' on Apr. 2, 2025. The Justice Department had moved to dismiss the case prior to the ruling.

The 2024 indictment alleged bribery and illegal campaign contributions tied to travel and the involvement of a Turkish official among others. The court order and contemporaneous reporting describe those allegations, but they are not currently pending after the dismissal.

Adams said the city Campaign Finance Board's withholding of public matching funds and relentless media scrutiny undermined his ability to continue his campaign.

The mayor's exit reshaped the field among Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, and Curtis Sliwa, but multiple outlets emphasized uncertainty about consolidation of support.

🔐Ethics🗳️Elections🏙️Local Issues

Test Your Knowledge

Adams withdrew from the mayoral race more than five weeks before the November 4 election.

Adams was trailing Zohran Mamdani by 14 points when he withdrew from the race.

Rev. Al Sharpton said he couldn''t recall a NYC election where the split between lifelong residents and new transplants was this wide.

How did Curtis Sliwa''s polling change after Adams withdrew from the race?

When is Adams''s federal corruption trial scheduled to begin?

5 more questions available

Upgrade to Premium to access all practice questions and unlock advanced quiz features.

Upgrade to Premium

These questions are part of the Adams suspends 2025 re-election campaign after federal case is dismissed topic. Master this topic by completing the quiz or exploring each question in detail.

Ready to test your knowledge?

Take the full quiz to master this topic and track your progress.

Start Quiz

People, bills, and sources

Eric Adams

Suspended NYC mayoral candidate

Judge Dale E. Ho

U.S. District Judge

U.S. Department of Justice

Prosecuting authority and mover to dismiss

Zohran Mamdani

Leading Democratic candidate

Curtis Sliwa

Republican candidate

Andrew Cuomo

Former governor and prospective candidate

What you can do

understanding

Track legal status

The Apr. 2, 2025 dismissal was 'with prejudice,' which bars refiling on the same charges. Watch for any separate investigations or appeals rather than a refiled indictment.

civic action

Monitor campaign finance decisions

Watch the NYC Campaign Finance Board's public statements about matching funds and any appeals that affected Adams's access to public financing.

Phone Call Script: NYC Campaign Finance Board - Matching Funds Inquiry

Opening: Hello, I'm calling to request information about the NYC Campaign Finance Board's decisions regarding matching funds for Mayor Eric Adams's 2025 re-election campaign.

Key points to mention:

On Sep. 28, 2025, Mayor Eric Adams suspended his re-election campaign, 37 days before the Nov. 4 general election
Adams cited the Campaign Finance Board's withholding of matching funds as one reason for suspending his campaign
The federal corruption case against Adams was dismissed "with prejudice" on Apr. 2, 2025
There are questions about why matching funds were withheld despite the case dismissal

Questions to ask:

Why did the Campaign Finance Board withhold matching funds from Mayor Adams's campaign?
What was the specific reason for withholding funds, and was it related to the federal case?
Are there any appeals processes available to candidates whose matching funds are withheld?
What is the Board's policy on matching funds when candidates face legal proceedings?
Will the Board release public statements explaining its decisions?

Why this matters: The Campaign Finance Board's decisions about matching funds can significantly impact elections. Understanding why funds were withheld helps ensure transparency and accountability in the public financing system.

Specific request: I'm requesting public information about the Campaign Finance Board's decisions regarding matching funds for Mayor Adams's campaign, including any public statements or explanations for withholding funds.

Contact: NYC Campaign Finance Board: 212-306-7100 Website: https://www.nyccfb.info/

Thank you for your assistance.

practicing

Follow candidate consolidation

Track whether moderate voters coalesce around an anti-progressive challenger or split between Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa.