Eric Adams elected as New York City’s second Black mayor

Democrat Eric Adams has been elected the 110th mayor of New York City defeating Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.

Eric Adams Makes History

Adams, a retired New York Police Department captain, will be the second Black mayor in the city’s history, after the late David Dinkins.

A Brooklyn native who currently serves as its borough president, Adams won a contentious Democratic primary this summer on a promise to reform the NYPD amid worries over a rise in violent crime.

Campaign

Eric Adams campaign premised on public safety with a message that “public safety is the prerequisite to prosperity”.

He resonated with working class Democratic voters outside the traditionally liberal areas of Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, which fueled his nomination.

His message on crime and his experience as a police officer largely insulated him from attacks from his Republican opponent Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels anti-crime patrol.

Adams described being beaten by police officers as a teen when he was arrested for trespassing.

When he later became a cop, he was a vocal critic of the police department, advocated for Black officers and spoke out about injustices.

But he did not embrace calls from some progressives to defund the police by shifting money from law enforcement to social work and other programs aimed at addressing the root causes of crime.

Winner

While walking into a polling place to vote on Tuesday, Adams teared up as he held a picture of his mother and spoke about his life.

“This is is an amazing day, to reach this point,” Adams said. “Back in 1977, my mom brought me into that polling place. Every little boy or little girl who was ever told they’ll never amount to anything – every child with a learning disability, every inmate sitting in Rikers, every dishwasher, every child in a homeless shelter – this is for all of you. I only have three words: I am you.”