The fact New York City Mayor Eric Adams has yet to endorse New York Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul is a signal for something unknown, but Politico sought to investigate what it is.
Either Adams is weighing support for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who could run as an independent, or he is waiting for Hochul to surrender "mayoral accountability," Politico reported, which means giving Adams' wishes at the state level some deference.
"Mayoral accountability," Adams told Politico is "one of the issues," along with public safety "that I'm going to look at to make a determination of the person I'm going to endorse for governor."
New York is a deep blue state and Hochul is running away with the Democrat nomination in June's primary. Withholding a de facto endorsement seems to signal something, particularly with reports of Adams being seen embracing Cuomo at a dinner in the city recently.
"To me, it's two different conversations," Adams told Politico of his endorsement against getting his legislative agenda items in Albany, the state capital. "The totality of the record of the person that's running for governor, I'm going to look at.
"So I would not say that if I don't get the support from the governor on one issue, it's going to determine that, and so I would say no today," Adams added to Politico.
Adams' endorsement would seemingly be unnecessary for a Democrat in New York, but the city does hold a lot of votes over the remainder of the state and Adams carries the Black voter support in the populated city, Politico noted. Also, Adams has had a relationship with Long Island Rep. Tom Suozzi, who is challenging Hochul in the primary.
"The interesting thing is you don't want to wait too long until an endorsement becomes obsolete," Fordham University political science professor Christina Greer told Politico. "We've seen people endorse two or three days before elections, but if it's in that final push, it's no longer a favor, they're no longer beholden politically.
"I don't think Kathy Hochul has to worry about Black voters going over to her Republican opponents," Greer added. "She has to worry about them staying home."
Adams called Hochul "an amazing partner" to Politico, despite not giving the endorsement, so perhaps Adams is just waiting to give his endorsement to the winner of the Democrat primary.
"Mayor Adams and Gov. Hochul have a great working relationship," Adams spokesperson Fabien Levy told Politico.
"There are countless issues where the two are aligned, from reducing gun violence and crime on our streets and subways, to recovering from COVID, to getting our economy back up and running. The mayor considers the governor a partner in boosting New York and moving our city forward."
Hochul's campaign is talking to Adams about his endorsement, but told Politico it is not designed to lure the Black vote in the city area.
"There's been conversations among our teams," a Hochul campaign source told Politico. "Would we love to have his support? Of course, but it's only one piece of a larger plan to target turnout communities."
Adams' endorsement really is just a primary matter, barring supporting Cuomo as an independent.
"I highly doubt that Eric Adams would even toy with endorsing a Republican nominee," a source told Politico.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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