Latest news with #Adams
Politico
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Despite ranked-choice voting, Adrienne Adams declines to back rivals in NYC mayor's race
NEW YORK — Mayoral candidate Adrienne Adams declined Thursday to say who she voted for, even as her opponents — and chief supporter — have begun to capitalize on the city's ranked-choice voting system in their collective quest to block Andrew Cuomo's return to power. 'I voted for me and I voted for my community,' the City Council speaker said after leaving her polling station in the Jamaica section of Queens on the sixth day of early voting ahead of the June 24 Democratic primary. Asked who else she ranked on her ballot, Adams replied, 'Well, I still believe in the secrecy of the ballot, and I voted for me and my community.' She specifically declined to say whether she voted for democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani — the first choice for the Working Families Party, which endorsed Adams as part of a four-person slate intended to oppose Cuomo. The secrecy from Adams stands in contrast to the recent — albeit late — cross endorsements candidates and top surrogates are making to blunt Cuomo's rise. The former governor, a household name, is beating the lesser-known Adams among Black New Yorkers, even though she'd be New York City's first Black female mayor. Mamdani and Brad Lander endorsed one another last week — likely a bigger benefit to Mamdani if he outpaces Lander as is expected, though the city comptroller is having a strong close to his campaign season. Some people on Adams' team were hoping she'd back her rivals. To that end, her aides had prepared a statement asserting her support for the Working Families Party's slate, but internal disagreements blocked it from being released, someone with knowledge of the matter told POLITICO. That person was granted anonymity to freely discuss private campaign strategy. Adams' chief endorser, New York State Attorney General Letitia James, announced support for Lander, Mamdani and Myrie as her second, third and fourth picks Saturday in a rebuke to Cuomo, her political nemesis. New Yorkers can select up to five candidates, in order of preference, when they head to the polls Tuesday in the city's relatively new ranked-choice voting system. Adams entered the race late, with low name recognition and insufficient funds to take on the former governor. A low-profile politician who would be New York City's first female mayor, she was urged into the race by James, who wants to see Cuomo defeated but didn't want to run for the job. A report from James' office four years ago substantiated allegations Cuomo sexually harassed female staffers, leading to his resignation. He denies the claims. Adams is viewed by political insiders as a candidate with a lot of potential for growth, but has yet to meet that expectation in a race dominated by Cuomo and Mamdani, the democratic socialist who routinely polls second. Where Cuomo enjoys popularity in the Council speaker's Queens district of older Black homeowners, Mamdani excites a younger, wealthier and whiter crowd. On the campaign trail, Adams has criticized both candidates, delivering a searing rebuke of Cuomo's Covid policies in a speech about her deceased father and questioning Mamdani's inexperience on the debate stage. She also released a since-deleted social media post that slammed the state lawmaker's vow to abolish ICE. Cuomo has not told his supporters to rank anyone else on their ballots, including state Sen. Jessica Ramos — who broke with the Working Families Party and endorsed him. Defeating Cuomo on his political turf — which overlaps with her own — was always going to be a challenge for the Council speaker, but her broader appeal made her an attractive choice for voters seeking an experienced alternative to Cuomo. She's routinely polling a distant fourth.
Hamilton Spectator
18 hours ago
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
A gravel road. A dump truck crash. And questions over safety fixes
ZORRA TOWNSHIP – An Oxford County couple is raising concerns about road safety after a dump truck tipped over at the edge of their rural home's driveway. John Murkin and Sandy Adams have long been concerned about the conditions on the gravel stretch of 31st Line between Road 92 and Road 96, about 45 kilometres northeast of London in Zorra Township where they live. Those worries flared after a dump truck tipped over at the foot of their driveway on May 22, spilling its aggregate contents – which remained on Tuesday – into a ditch not long before Adams returned from running errands. 'I am traumatized by this. I'm getting the heebie-jeebies thinking about (it) every time I go out there,' Adams said. 'You let your mind go to dark places.' A retired nurse, Adams said the driver appeared to be uninjured and was 'just really shaken up,' adding no emergency vehicles were called to the crash. The former Londoners bought the six-hectare (16-acre) property situated between two aggregate sites in 2007 as a cottage getaway before moving into the home full time in 2020. This wasn't the first crash to occur near their home, they say. Murkin, a semi-retired physician, said the couple raised concerns to the municipality a few years ago after another truck tipped over just a few hundred metres down the road. Zorra Township public services director Steve Oliver said in an emailed statement the municipality was aware of the two incidents but hadn't been notified of any other crashes. Murkin and Adams are pushing for the road's paving due to dust kicked up by vehicle and truck traffic, which Murkin said go 'whizzing' down the road. He said the clouds of dust can obstruct visibility and could pose safety, health and environmental hazards to people and local wildlife. 'Traffic-calming measures would reduce the speeds of these trucks,' Murkin said. 'Engineer the road so that it's safe, so that they don't have any more rollovers, and to me, the way to do that is just pave the damn road.' But Oliver said a paved road could increase the risk of more crashes. 'Conversions from gravel surface roads to hard surface roads historically increase traffic volumes, increase speed and create a higher risk of accidents,' Oliver said, noting a paved road directly south of the 31st Line between Road 92 and Road 96 has an annual average daily traffic count of 662 vehicles, whereas the daily count for the gravel strip of the 31st Line is around 230 vehicles. Oliver also said the municipality applies 800 tonnes of gravel annually, which is graded six to eight times a year along the stretch of 31st Line where the couple lives. The township applies dust suppressant a couple times a year, with the second application set at twice the amount of other gravel surfaced roads without active aggregate pits, he said. Oliver said the cost to maintain a gravel road with active aggregate pits in 2023 was about $6,330 per kilometre, while an asphalt road, after 20 to 25 years, costs about $26,000 a year. bwilliams@ Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Time of India
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
New York Mayoral Race 2025 Decoded: Zohran Mamdani, Eric Adams or Andrew Cuomo - who will win?
In Daredevil: Born Again , Wilson Fisk—the Kingpin of Crime—doesn't just manipulate the system; he becomes Mayor of New York. Because in the Marvel Universe, the best way to consolidate criminal power isn't through backroom deals—it's by getting elected. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A comic book storyline? Maybe. But in 2025 New York, fiction and politics are on disturbingly good terms. This is the city where Sinatra sang about making it big, Trump gold-plated his ego, and aliens always seem to start their invasions. So naturally, New York's mayoral race couldn't just be another bland contest of platforms and pamphlets—it had to be a full-blown cinematic crossover event. Daredevil: Born Again | Wilson Fisk becomes Mayor of New York City | Clip 4K The incumbent, Eric Adams, entered 2025 under a federal indictment—only to be miraculously rescued by the Trump Justice Department. Unburdened but politically bruised, Adams bailed on the Democratic primary and now seeks reelection as an independent via two oddly branded ballot lines: Safe Streets, Affordable City and EndAntiSemitism. Think DJ Khaled meets Bloomberg, but with more subpoenas. In the Democratic primary, the drama centres on two men who couldn't be more different if they tried: Andrew Cuomo, the scandal-drenched ex-Governor staging a Nixonian comeback, and Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist from Queens endorsed by AOC, Bernie Sanders, the Working Families Party, and anyone who uses the phrase 'neoliberal hellscape' without irony. Trailing them is a whole gallery of political side characters: Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Comptroller Brad Lander, State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Jessica Ramos, hedge fund crusader Whitney Tilson, integrity lawyer Jim Walden, and the ever-returning vigilante Curtis Sliwa, whose red beret remains the most consistent part of Republican strategy in NYC. Eric Adams – The Survivor Mayor Image credits: Getty Images Adams' first term was less a public service than a multi-season streaming show. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Crime stats, police drama, migrant shelter chaos, zoning reforms, a revolving cast of commissioners—and all of it interspersed with nightclub appearances and cryptic Instagram captions. Then came the indictment. Then came the acquittal. Now, Adams has reinvented himself as the 'competence candidate,' reminding voters that murders are down, rezonings are up, and hey—at least he's not a felon. But public memory is short and sharp. Most New Yorkers remember the headlines, not the metrics. They remember the vibe. And the vibe was: chaos, ego, and subpoenas. If Adams wins, it'll be a masterclass in narrative control. If he loses, it'll be because even New York eventually gets tired of being gaslit. Andrew Cuomo – The Once and Future Kingpin Image credits: Getty Images Cuomo is back. Not because New Yorkers missed him, but because Cuomo missed being Cuomo. His campaign pitch? 'Experience matters.' His campaign vibe? 'Please forget everything after 2019.' He's armed with union endorsements, a donor Rolodex fat enough to crush a CitiBike, and the smug certainty of a man who believes he built the state and should get a second chance to ruin the city. But every speech, every op-ed, every photo-op brings back the ghosts: the nursing home scandal, the sexual harassment accusations, the press briefings that felt like hostage negotiations. He's polling well among moderates, but even his supporters admit it's less about enthusiasm and more about resignation. Cuomo is the electoral equivalent of a nicotine patch: addictive, unsatisfying, and kind of gross. Zohran Mamdani – The Socialist from Queens Zohran Mamdani (Image credit AP) Where Cuomo evokes the past, Zohran Mamdani is the embodiment of political future-shock. Young, Ugandan-Indian, socialist, multilingual, and unapologetically radical, Mamdani offers New York a campaign that reads like a progressive fever dream: a $30 minimum wage, rent freezes, free public transit, and publicly-owned grocery stores. He's adored by the left, feared by centrists, and targeted by conservatives who struggle to pronounce 'Astoria' without wincing. His campaign ads are multilingual, his rallies are electric, and his vibe is pure disruption. But New York is a city that loves the idea of revolution—as long as it arrives in the back of an Uber. Can a city that claps for social justice actually vote for it? Or will it smile at Mamdani's poetry, then quietly fill in the bubble for Cuomo in the privacy of the booth? Brad Lander – The Wonk Whisperer New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is placed under arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and FBI agents outside federal immigration court on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Olga Fedorova) Brad Lander is the guy who shows up to a protest with anExcel sheet and a legal pad. Brooklyn-born, fiscally responsible, and ideologically moderate by progressive standards, Lander has built a reputation as the man who knows how to make the city run. His pitch is clear: data, ethics, efficiency. His platform includes housing reform, mental health infrastructure, and fiscal transparency. He's the candidate who reads the fine print—probably because he wrote it. But charisma matters. In a race filled with rappers, rogues, and reformed governors, Lander is the competent dad trying to DJ the party. He's quietly gaining steam, especially among voters fatigued by Cuomo and wary of Mamdani. But unless he breaks out of his technocratic shell soon, he risks becoming everyone's second choice—and no one's winner. The Progressive Soup Jessica Ramos began her campaign as a worker-first progressive. Then she endorsed Cuomo, and her credibility evaporated faster than a Midtown apartment deposit. Zellnor Myrie staked his candidacy on housing, calling for one million new units. Admirable. But in a race dominated by Mamdani and Lander, he's the third-most progressive in any room—and that's not a great place to be. Adrienne Adams, drafted as the centrist peacemaker, offers measured leadership and broad endorsements. But her campaign has struggled to cut through. In a year where the political circus is running full tilt, being sensible might just be the fastest way to be forgotten. Everyone wants to be the 'anti-Cuomo.' No one has figured out how to consolidate the vote. The result? Progressive fragmentation that makes a circular firing squad look efficient. The Independents, the Billionaires, and the Ballot Hobbyists Whitney Tilson is a charter school–loving hedge funder whose platform is basically 'Run NYC like a spreadsheet.' He's rich, loud, and terminally LinkedIn. Then there's Jim Walden, a Bloombergian technocrat suing to be called an 'independent' on the ballot, armed with powerpoints, white papers, and approximately five enthusiastic voters. These guys won't win. But they will fill panels, clutter debates, and write Medium posts explaining why they should have. Curtis Sliwa – The Red-Beret Rerun And finally: Curtis Sliwa, the vigilante. The red-bereted Ghost of Giuliani Past. Every few years he emerges like a Republican cicada—loud, angry, and allergic to nuance. He's running on a platform of crime, more crime, fewer migrants, and feral cats as pest control. He won't win. But if enough Democrats split the vote, he might finish second. Stranger things have happened. After all, this is the city where rats get pizza and mayors get indicted. Perception vs. Performance – The Real Contest This election isn't about what candidates have done. It's about what voters remember. And more importantly, what they feel. Adams has genuine achievements—but he feels like a nightclub manager with subpoena fatigue. Cuomo has experience—but his scandals still scream louder than his surrogates. Mamdani offers ideas—but he also scares the donor class. Lander is solid—but not sexy. And Sliwa is… available. The media knows it. Every headline is a meme. Every endorsement is a subtweet. Even the New York Times threw in the towel and endorsed no one—New York's journalistic version of saying, 'We're out of ideas. Good luck, Gotham.' Final Notes from Gotham New York's 2025 mayoral race isn't ideological—it's mythological. It's about redemption arcs, origin stories, surprise villains, and broken heroes. It's a city where Wilson Fisk becoming mayor wasn't a warning—it was a prophecy. Will voters choose the devil they know (Cuomo)? The devil they fired (Adams)? The socialist the Right fears (Mamdani)? Or the nerd in glasses who actually has a plan (Lander)? One thing is certain: whoever wins, they won't just inherit New York—they'll inherit its neuroses, contradictions, and the sacred duty of being yelled at in five languages before 10 AM.
USA Today
20 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
3 things that could make or break the Rams' NFC West title defense
3 things that could make or break the Rams' NFC West title defense The Rams won the NFC West in 2024, but staying on top won't be easy After returning to the playoffs in 2023, the Los Angeles Rams exceeded expectations in 2024 and reclaimed the NFC West crown for the first time since 2021. Los Angeles now enters the 2025 season with momentum, but also with pressure to stay atop a division that saw only the Rams play in January off a 10-7 record following a 1-4 start and it wasn't until Week 14 that the team managed to get over .500. To stay on top, Sean McVay's team must address three critical areas that could make or break their bid for back-to-back division titles. Keep QB Matthew Stafford clean on the blind side The Rams' offense goes as far as Stafford can take it, but only if he's upright. The 37-year-old signal caller was protected fairly well last season, having been sacked 38 times, which was tied for 13th fewest, but questions now swirl around the left tackle spot. Alaric Jackson, who signed a three-year, $57.75 million contract extension back in February, is battling blood clots that have now cast doubt on his availability. While D.J. Humphries was signed as insurance, he's two years removed from an ACL tear suffered late during the 2023 season and also injured his hamstring as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs last year. Behind him, depth is thin. This means the Rams must either trust Humphries or veteran David Quessenberry, who the Rams signed back in May to a one-year deal, to be a full-time solution. If the left tackle position becomes an issue, Stafford's efficiency and this offense's explosiveness could take a hit. Get the Stafford-Adams connection rolling The Rams made one of the splashiest moves of the offseason by bringing in All-Pro WR Davante Adams. But a bold move only pays off if the chemistry follows. Replacing a franchise great in Cooper Kupp isn't about swapping targets, it's about recalibrating the offense. Adams thrives in isolation routes, crisp timing, and red-zone precision. That demands a new layer of McVay's playbook and fast-track chemistry with Stafford. Suppose the Rams can't quickly build a rhythm between Stafford and Adams. In that case, they risk becoming predictable, or worse, inefficient, against elite defenses like San Francisco, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, who all loom on L.A.'s 2025 schedule. Reinforce the secondary While the front seven has promising talents like Jared Verse, last years defensive rookie of the year, Braden Fiske and Kobie Turner, the Rams' secondary remains a glaring concern. In the defensive backfield, they've ranked 20th the past two seasons in passing defense, allowing 231.1 yards per game in 2023 and 223.1 yards in 2024, while also ranking middle of the pack in passing yards allowed per attempt at 6.7 last season and despite having a pair of solid veterans in Ahkello Witherspoon and Darious Williams, they have yet to land a proven CB1 for 2025. The options? Bring in a veteran like Stephon Gilmore. Make a splash by trading for Jalen Ramsey, or bank on internal growth from players like Cobie Durant, who finished with 40 tackles, eight deflections, and an interception last season. Without a stable boundary presence, the Rams could continue to be vulnerable against the NFC West's improved passing attacks. Bottom Line The Rams have the roster to run the West. But every contender has soft spots. If L.A. can patch the left tackle situation, turn Adams into an every-week weapon, and fix their secondary leaks, the road to the NFC West still runs through Inglewood. If not? The door could swing wide open for the 49ers, Seahawks, or Cardinals to crash the party.
New York Post
a day ago
- Business
- New York Post
Eric Adams gets big win from court in retired NYC worker health care battle — but most of his rivals vow to kill it anyway
Mayor Eric Adams scored a massive legal win in the controversial battle to move retired city workers to higher cost health-care plans — but nearly all the candidates running to replace him as mayor are already planning to stop the move in its tracks. The Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that the city could shift retirees to Medicare Advantage plans – a private healthcare program that utilizes Medicare subsidies in lieu of traditional Medicare and supplements – after years of fighting by retiree advocacy groups. The ruling found that retirees who sued over the change had insufficiently argued that adopting the advantage plans would lead to worsened care and that assurances that the city would keep them on Medicare plans wasn't legally enforceable. Advertisement 3 Mayoral candidates running against Adams, who is running for re-election as an independent, don't want to see the health care proposal get passed. Getty Images Adams' term is up at year's end and he dropped out of a Democratic Party primary that is set for next week. Adams is now running as an independent in a longshot bid, though the Democratic Party torchbearer would be far and away the favorite to win election in the deeply blue city. Advertisement Mayoral hopefuls Comptroller Brad Lander and frontrunner Andrew Cuomo have both publicly opposed the switch and have specifically called for 30-to-60 day grace periods for families to seek other insurance after the death of a retiree and expediting the reimbursements process, as part of their pledge to retiree groups. Every other candidate – with the exception of independent Jim Walden – also oppose the switch, according to a Citizen Budget Commission questionnaire. 3 The Court of Appeals granted Mayor Eric Adams a major victory as the city can shift retired city workers to Medicare Advantage plans. C Davids/ – While surging socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani recently opposed the plan on his campaign website, a source with knowledge told The Post that he didn't sign a pledge to support the retirees nor did he go to the debate hosted by the advocacy group New York City Public Service Retirees. Advertisement The source continued to say that this was in order to prevent losing an endorsement from the public service union DC37, which supports the switch to Medicare advantage plans. The Mamdani campaign pointed to a prior 2022 statement where the Assemblyman opposed switching to Medicare Advantage but declined to comment about allegedly staying tightlipped in an effort to lose support. The ruling even raised the ire of comptroller candidate Justin Brannan. 'Our city should never, ever be screwing retirees. And neither should the courts. No one will ever want to work for New York City again. Medicare Advantage is a bait and switch scam. Enough!' Brannan said. Advertisement 3 Democratic front-runner Andrew Cuomo and mayoral hopeful Brad Lander both oppose the plan. Paul Martinka Comptroller candidate and current Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine didn't respond to a request for comment but said in a recent debate that he would make a decision on 'the details of the plan in consultation with retirees, with current workers, with labor leaders.' The plan was first introduced by former Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2021, who argued the program would lead to over $600 million in annual savings by utilizing federal subsidies. The mayor's office did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
