Politics

Democrat Eric Adams elected New York City mayor, defeats longshot Curtis Sliwa

NEW YORK — Eric Adams, the former police captain who campaigned on a message of public safety, was elected New York City mayor Tuesday.

Adams will become New York’s second Black mayor and inherit a city at a pivotal time in its economic recovery from the pandemic.

Adams, a Democrat, defeated longshot Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa after he narrowly won his party’s nomination in June during a crowded Democratic primary.

The Brooklyn borough president and former state senator will replace the term-limited Mayor Bill de Blasio in January.

Adams vowed Tuesday night to take the city in a new direction and make its government work for the poor, homeless and underserved.

“This is not about Eric Adams becoming mayor. This is about carving out a pathway so people could enjoy the prosperity that this city has to offer,” he said from the stage of his victory party where he was joined by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Adams said he would “build bridges” between business leaders and the inner city, create jobs for New Yorkers and reduce crime while addressing its root causes.

“In four years, this city is never going to be the same. Once we move forward, we will never go back,” Adams said.

Adams brought a photo of his late mother as he voted Tuesday in Brooklyn and reflected on his working-class upbringing. Sliwa brought one of his many cats and got into a dispute with an election worker over whether he could bring the cat and his red jacket emblazoned with his name inside the polling location.

During the primary, Adams faced a number of progressive and moderate challengers but ultimately won with heavy support in lower-income, Black and Latino neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens.

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