New York City Mayoral
Race Withdrawal Announcement
delivered 28
September 2025
[AUTHENTICITY CERTIFIED: Text
version below transcribed directly from audio]
Nearly four years ago, Gracie Mansion became my home. Who would have thought
that a kid from South Jamaica, Queens, growing up with learning disabilities,
could one day become the mayor of the greatest city in the world.
I cannot thank my mother enough for instilling in me the values she lived by. I
hope every parent can use my life as an example for their child during
challenging moments. Only in America can a story like this be told.
When I was elected to serve as your mayor, I said these words. This campaign was
never about me. It was about the people of this city, from every neighborhood
and background, who have been left behind and believed they would never catch up.
This campaign was for the underserved, the marginalized, the abandoned, and
betrayed by government. Since then, it
has been my honor to be your mayor, and I'm proud to say that we took that
victory four years ago and turned it into action, making this city better for
those who have been failed by government. I felt immense pride serving
you every day.
And look at what we accomplished together.
We built more housing in one term
than any administration before us and removed barriers to build even more.
We
drove crime down so far that this year we are on track to have fewer shootings
and murders than at any point in our city's history.
We raised test scores and
attendance through bold education reforms.
We made record investments that
fueled our economy and drove employment to all-time highs.
And we lowered costs
for working and low income families, expanding funding for rental vouchers,
child care, and household costs while eliminating the income tax burden for more
than a half a million New Yorkers.1
Even so, I know many New Yorkers have yet to feel the full impact of these
historic achievements. I know many are still worried about affordability, about
safety, and their future here. But trust me when I tell you -- what we've started
will continue to reach every community in this city. It's not always easy to
see the impact of good policy in just three years.
I also know some remain unsure of me after the unfortunate events surrounding my
federal case. I was wrongfully charged because I fought
for this city. And if I had to do it again, I would fight for New York again.
And yet, despite all we've achieved, I cannot continue my reelection campaign.
The constant media speculation about my future and the campaign finance board's
decision to withhold millions of dollars have undermined my ability to raise the
funds needed for a serious campaign.
I hope that over time New Yorkers will see this city thrive under our leadership
and that policies we put in place should be continued and expanded. I hope you
will see that despite the headlines and innuendo, I always put you before me.
Always.
I'm proud of the historic leadership team we built, appointing the first
Dominican, Indian, and Filipino deputy mayors; the first woman to serve
as fire commissioner and police commissioner; the first Korean commissioner as
small business services; the first Spanish speaker to lead the NYPD and DOT
[Department of Transportation]; and
the first Jewish woman to head the NYPD intelligence division. We built
leadership that looks like New York.
That mattered to me because at my core, I'm still Dorothy Adams son, raised
with the values she instilled in me, forged in my church and in my community,
tested again and again in the fight for justice. Those values, working class
values, would never allow me to betray my city. They have always guided me to
ask and answer one simple question: How do I help those who need it most?
Whoever follows me at city hall must continue the work we started, lowering the
cost of living, investing in quality of life, and staying laser focused on
reducing crime and disorder through investments in policing, mental
health, substance abuse, care, homelessness services, and community-based
initiatives.
But I must also sound a warning. Extremism is growing in our politics. Our
children are being radicalized to hate our city and our country. Political anger
is turning into political violence. Too often, insidious forces use local
government to advance divisive agendas with little regard for how it hurts
everyday New Yorkers. Major change is welcome and necessary, but beware of those
who claim the answer to destroy the very system we built together over
generations.
That is not change. That is chaos.
Instead, I urge New Yorkers to choose leaders not by what they promise, but by
what they have delivered.
Although this is the end of my reelection campaign, it
is not the end of my public service. I will continue to fight for this city as I
have for 40 years since the day I joined the NYPD to make our streets safer and
our systems fairer.
The quest for justice is far from over. Inequality persists. Innocents still
suffer. New Yorkers deserve better every single day. And until the end of my
term, I will fight for just that. We faced the fallout of COVID, a surge in
crime, an
unprecedented migrant crisis, an economic devastation, all at once. And
together we turned things around by listening to everyday people and providing
solutions, instead of speeches. That gives me hope. That gives us a road map to a
better future.
My fellow New Yorkers, this is your city. Its leaders work for you. I am one of
you. My story is your story. I lived the struggle, but I never stopped loving
this city. That is why I ran for mayor -- to turn my pain into purpose. And I will
keep fighting for the city no matter what, from city hall or beyond. Because I
am a New Yorker and fighting for our city is just what I do.
