Brooklyn Borough President and a Democratic mayoral candidate Eric Adams greets NYPD officers as participants gather for a march through the financial district during a parade honoring essential workers for their efforts in getting New York City through the COVID-19 pandemic, Wednesday, July 7, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
The faceoff for New York City mayor has solidified after one Democrat candidate emerged as a winner On Tuesday, Brooklyn Borough President and former New York Police Department Captain Eric Adams clinched the Democrat primary, beating the second place challenger Kathryn Garcia by just nearly 8,500 votes.
The race faced a few issues along the way that delayed results for two weeks since New Yorkers first cast their votes. Election officials found it difficult to conduct the state’s first ranked choice election, where residents ranked the candidates by who they wanted to win the most to who they least wanted to see lead the Big Apple.
Additionally, chaos ensued when officials erroneously counted more than 135,000 dummy ballots to try to estimate the preliminary results last week. However, Adams emerged as the favorite for Democrat voters as they were looking for a candidate who would best be suited to combat the surging crime rates.
“So I think that sometimes the insiders, we get caught up in all the technicality,” Adams asserted. “New Yorkers just want someone that is going to make a safe, affordable, fair city and that has a great New York story. And I just think I fit that description and I’m so happy about it.”
Adams will now campaign against GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa who won a decisive victory over Republican challengers since day one of the primaries.
There are so many folks I need to thank, but tonight I want to thank the voters of NYC.
Regardless of if I was your 1st choice, 5th choice, or not on your ballot, thank you. I'll be proud to work with you, for you, & alongside you as we work towards a better future. pic.twitter.com/f0eUlfT8sd
— Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) July 7, 2021
Sliwa founded the local non-profit volunteer organization the Guardian Angels, which focuses on unarmed crime prevention. He became the top contender for the GOP after getting glowing endorsements from local Republicans, including former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Representative Nicole Malliotakis.
While heading into the primary, Sliwa has touted a tougher stance on cleaning up the streets than Adams and hopes to balance the city’s property taxes to benefit middle as well as working class residents.
In the meantime, both candidates are expected to campaign against each other through November 2 when New Yorkers vote for who will replace lame duck Mayor Bill De Blasio.
Source: One America News Network
