Eric Adams Strikes Celebratory Tone as Ranked Choice Count Begins

By Ese Olumhense.

Published June 23, 2021

Eric Adams predicted victory in New York City’s Democratic primary for mayor Tuesday, telling supporters he was confident he won the June 22 election for the city’s top job.

Eric Adams predicted victory in New York City’s Democratic primary for mayor in a Tuesday night speech, telling supporters at a posh Williamsburg club that he was confident he won the June 22 election for the city’s top job.

“New York City said ‘Our first choice is Eric Adams,'” said Adams, the current Brooklyn borough president, in remarks late Tuesday.

The city Board of Elections is still certifying the results, a potentially weeks-long process that will include absentee and affidavit ballots. Results published Tuesday night reflect just first-choice votes in the race, the city’s first major test of ranked-choice voting.

Still, the preliminary results were enough to edge out Andrew Yang, Adams’ chief rival, who conceded the race earlier in the evening.

“As you know, I am a numbers guy,” Yang told a crowd in his home neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen. “I am someone who traffics in what’s happening by the numbers and I am not going to be the next mayor of New York City based on the numbers that have come in tonight. I am conceding this race.”

In his apparent victory speech, Adams took shots at Yang, saying “social media does not pick a candidate. People on Social Security pick a candidate.”

The crowd at Eric Adams’ campaign party Tuesday.
Ese Olumhense

Present at the Adams’ event Tuesday: former mayoral aspirant and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Brooklyn Democratic Party leader Rodneyse Bichotte, Councilmembers Laurie Cumbo, Ydanis Rodriguez, Peter Koo, Debi Rose, and State Sen. Diane Savino, among others. Adams credited this coalition—what his campaign dubbed a “beautiful mosaic”—for the win.

“Eric Adams was someone I met when Amadou Diallo was shot and killed 22 years ago in the borough of the Bronx,” Diaz Jr. told City Limits. “His message resonated with not only Bronxites, not only Latinos, but all New Yorkers.”

If Adams maintains his lead as of the July 12 deadline set by election officials to certify results, he will likely face-off against Guardian Angel Curtis Sliwa in the November general election.