New York Mayor Adams to run for reelection as independent

(Reuters) -New York City Mayor Eric Adams said on Thursday that he would run for reelection as an independent, not as a Democrat as he did in his first, successful mayoral bid.

The announcement came a day after a federal judge dismissed corruption charges against the former New York City police captain.

The decision by the embattled mayor of the nation's most populous city means that he will not face a crowded field of nine candidates, including former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, in June's Democratic primary.

"I have always put New York's people before politics and party, and I always will," said Adams, who was first elected as a Democrat, in a video message posted on X. "I will forgo the Democratic primary for mayor and appeal directly to all New Yorkers as an independent candidate."

In February, the Justice Department requested that a federal judge dismiss corruption charges against the mayor because it was distracting him from helping Republican U.S. President Donald Trump step up deportations in its crackdown on illegal immigration.

The request prompted eight federal prosecutors to resign over concerns the administration was violating longstanding norms by allowing political considerations to influence prosecutorial decisions.

On Wednesday, a U.S. judge agreed to drop the charges, even as he said the request "smacks of a bargain" between Trump administration and Adams. He said the case was dropped with prejudice, meaning it could not be revived by the government - even if Adams fails to sufficiently cooperate on deportations.

Adams was well behind in polls in recent months as likely voters said they were concerned about the overall state of affairs in the city, including the crime on the subway and affordability.

Cuomo, who resigned in 2021 due to a series of sexual harassment allegations he denies, is polling favorably. He enjoys wide name recognition and occupies the same center-left political space as Adams.

The winner of the Democratic primary is likely to win the November general election to lead the left-leaning city.

(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Chicago;Editing by Bernadette Baum)