Nov 2, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Eric Adams wins New York City mayoral race

Erin Doherty

Image of Eric Adams. — Eric Adams. Photo: Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images

Democrat Eric Adams won New York City's mayoral race on Tuesday, defeating Republican Curtis Sliwa, AP reports.

Why it matters: Adams, a retired NYPD captain, was the clear favorite going into Tuesday's election. He will be the second Black mayor in the city's history.

The big picture: Adams pitched himself as a moderate Democrat who opposes the "defund the police" movement, while seeking to strike a balance between fighting crime and doing away with racist policing practices as mayor.

He became a police officer in 1984 and co-founded 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care, "a group that campaigned for criminal justice reform and against racial profiling."
He was elected Brooklyn borough president in 2013, a position he has held since then.

What to watch: Adams will take office from term-limited Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) as New York City seeks to rebuild after the COVID-19 pandemic, which devastated the city's economy and coincided with an increase in homicides.

Go deeper: Democrats' new police playbook

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Eric Adams wins New York City mayoral race

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