NYC Comptroller Brad Lander Announces Mayoral Campaign vs Eric Adams

To nobody’s great surprise, New York City’s Comptroller Brad Lander, has announced his campaign to run for mayor against first term incumbent Eric Adams in the Democratic primary next June.

Scott Stringer, former city comptroller and as well as a former Manhattan borough president, is also reportedly raising money for a potential entrée into the race but has not officially declared.

Lander who made what he hyped as his “big announcement” via social media said he was running “to deliver a safer, more affordable, more livable, and better-run city.”

Better education for children in public schools, public safety, and making living in New York City more affordable are some of the categories Lander mentioned in his video. “We can replace a leader when they fail the basic test of a job,” Lander said, who is seen as an underdog in a race against an incumbent mayor.

The announcement means Lander, a self identified progressive Democrat, will not be seeking reelection as the city comptroller since that term is also up at the end of 2025 and candidates cannot run simultaneously for two offices.

Eric Adams took over as NYC Mayor on January 1, 2022, while NYC was still in the midst of dealing, and attempting to recover from the COVID-19 Pandemic which caused a slew of problems including a economic toll which stemmed from many leaving New York City, workers working from home, and prices rising faster than wages. Another focal point brought up within the campaign video was safety, the transit system, and mental health, and how they all intertwine. Although Mayor Adams has reported subway crime going down 7.8 percent year to date compared to the first half of 2023 (Which was still higher than pre-pandemic numbers). Many New Yorkers have reported feeling unsafe in the city’s transit system. More police patrols were added to the system after an early year spike in crime incidents.

Adams has said repeatedly at his weekly press conferences: “Crime is down, jobs are up.” And he has insisted that “New York is still the safest big city in America.” He also maintains that he has successfully dealt with a flood of over 210,000 migrants arriving in the city while 60,000 are being housed in the city shelter system, which he says is a role model for other cities.

When Lander criticized City Hall’s handling of the ongoing migrant crisis he was met by comments from Mayor Adams, who called Lander “The loudest person in the city.”

Lander, a Missouri native who has been the city’s comptroller since taking office in 2022, has been responsible for auditing the mayoral administration in the past.

Lander has openly spoken about his disdain for the budget cuts that have been made under Eric Adams, taking funds away from departments such as the Parks Department and NYC Public Libraries, “To make sure the libraries are open and the illegal weed shops are closed. Time to clean our streets” said Lander’s campaign announcement video.

Adams has said nearly 800 illegal weed shops have been closed in a three month period. But Lander said recently he will probe the city crackdown efforts.