Mayor Eric Adams unexpectedly took time off over the weekend, notably missing the African American Day Parade in Harlem, which reignited speculation regarding his uncertain re-election prospects.
With no public engagements on either Saturday or Sunday, Adams remained largely out of the spotlight as his three rivals actively campaigned just six weeks away from the upcoming November election.
On Monday, Adams resurfaced to participate in morning television shows, attempting to downplay his evident absence and dodging inquiries about possibly withdrawing from the race.
“You know, unlike my opponents, I actually have a day job,” Adams remarked, as he runs as an independent after bypassing the Democratic primary in June.
Typically, one would expect a New York City mayor’s duties to include attending significant events like Sunday’s African American Day Parade.
Having attended the parade each year of his incumbency since taking office in 2022, Adams’ absence was particularly striking.
“It’s unfortunate that Mayor Adams is missing out on an important event that strengthens community connections,” commented Ken Frydman, a Democratic strategist. “Does the city’s second African American mayor really have something more important to attend than the African American Day Parade? This suggests he may have given up.”
One Democratic figure from Harlem who chose to remain anonymous remarked, “Eric was definitely missed.”
Despite the criticism, campaign spokesman Todd Shapiro claimed that Adams was “fully engaged” over the weekend, participating in unofficial fundraising and campaign efforts.
“Mayor Adams does not believe in attending events just for appearances,” Shapiro added.
Throughout his tenure, Adams has hosted numerous receptions at Gracie Mansion and has faced ridicule for conducting over 130 flag-raising ceremonies, as highlighted through analysis of his public schedules.
In sharp contrast, Adams’ subdued weekend stood out against his opponents Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, and Curtis Sliwa, all of whom maximized their campaigning leading up to the election.
Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, had a busy weekend packed with events, including riding on a float during the African American Day Parade.
Curtis Sliwa filled his schedule with multiple events on Saturday and participated in a five-mile run and various festivals on Sunday.
Even former Governor Andrew Cuomo, running independently after a underwhelming primary, took advantage of his weekend visiting churches and a Sikh cultural center.
Meanwhile, Adams ended his quiet weekend by postponing an appearance on Rev. Al Sharpton’s MSNBC show.
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“I was puzzled by his absence,” Sharpton commented.
Adams did not make a public appearance until Monday, where he expressed frustration over the rumors regarding his potential exit from the race.
When pressed for a definitive statement on his campaign status, Adams reiterated that he had declared his intentions weeks ago.
“I’ve already addressed that, and I don’t intend to repeat myself,” he stated on Fox5. “You’ll be asking me that same question again next week and up until Election Day.”
Democratic strategist Ross Wallenstein pointed out that Adams’ recent choices aren’t helping his narrative of staying in the race.
“If he’s planning to drop, this is certainly a fitting approach. If the mayor has a solid strategy, it would interest us all because skipping events so close to the election does not appear to be the path to victory,” Wallenstein said.
Additional reporting by Carl Campanile
