June 26 (UPI) -- New York City Mayor Eric Adams kick-started his re-election bid as an independent candidate on Thursday.
Adams was joined by about 100 supporters on the steps of the New York City Hall as he announced his candidacy and laid out a case for another four years as the city's mayor.
"It's a choice between a candidate with a blue collar and one with a silver spoon," Adams said of his background versus that of Democratic Party candidate and self-avowed socialist Zohran Mamdani.
Mamdani, 33, surprised many in the political establishment by winning Tuesday's Democratic Party primary over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who conceded the loss and announced he would continue running as an independent.
Adams, likewise, was elected to the mayoral office as a Democrat in 2021 but since has left the party to become an independent.
