New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is officially challenging Mayor Eric Adams in next year’s Democratic primary for City Hall, following weeks of rumors that he would join a growing list of candidates looking to challenge the incumbent from the left.
Lander, who currently holds the third-highest prominent citywide elected office behind Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, announced his candidacy via a campaign video posted online early Tuesday morning.
In the video, Lander — a staunch progressive from Brooklyn who has wielded his office largely as a check on Adams — took direct aim at the many areas in which he believes the current mayor has fallen short. That includes the basics like public safety and education as well as affordable housing, open public libraries and greater access to child care.
“We can replace a leader when they fail the basic tests of the job: to be honest with us, to keep our families safe, to make sure our kids learn, the basic things New Yorkers need their government to do,” Lander says in the video. “It’s time for strong experienced leadership that delivers real results. Time to deliver fairness and safety. To build a more affordable and livable city.”
The comptroller, during a Tuesday morning interview on Pix11, blasted Adams’ record over his two and a half years in office.
“Mayor Adams promised to get stuff done, but every day I hear from people all across the five boroughs that he’s not getting the stuff done that really matters to New Yorkers,” Lander said, invoking Adams’ signature catchphrase. “He promised safety; people feel more anxious and unsafe. He promised affordability, but the rents are higher than ever. He promised child care seats, but there were thousands of people on waitlists. The city’s future demands better leadership now.”
Lander poses perhaps the most formidable challenge to Adams yet out of a fast-growing field of contenders running to the mayor’s left. He reported having raised $651,000 for his comptroller reelection bid earlier this month, funds that he can use for his mayoral run, a portion of which his campaign says can unlock $3 million in public matching funds.
The race already includes Scott Stringer, Lander’s predecessor as comptroller who unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2021; and state Sen. Zellnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn). But while Stringer and Myrie reported strong fundraising hauls earlier this month, both campaigns remain in the exploratory phase.
The number of growing challengers to the mayor seems to reflect, to some observers, Adadms’ politically weakened position due to lagging poll numbers and ongoing federal investigations into his 2021 campaign.
When asked about what distinguishes him from his competitors, Lander pointed to his “track-record of results” during his time as comptroller.
“We protected the retirement security of our teachers and cops and firefighters,” Lander said. “We’ve had really successful investments of the $275 billion invested in affordable housing, in small businesses.”
Some pols wasted no time in reacting to Lander’s announcement.
Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Queens), one Adams’ closest allies who is exploring a run for comptroller herself, urged Lander to commit to the mayoral race rather than seek re-election as comptroller if his hopes of beating Adams turn sour.
“I call on Comptroller Lander to assure New Yorkers that he is fully committed to his mayoral campaign and will not disgrace his office by reverting back to a Comptroller campaign as a back up plan,” she said, in a statement. “New Yorkers deserve leaders who are steadfast in their ambitions, transparent about their intentions, and committed to the office they hold. I look forward to a robust and transparent campaign season.”
