New York Attorney General Letitia James endorsed City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams for mayor Wednesday.

She announced the endorsement alongside DC 37, one of the city’s largest unions representing over 150,000 public sector employees.

What You Need To Know

  • New York Attorney General Letitia James is expected to endorse City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams for mayor

  • One of the city’s largest unions, representing over 150,000 public sector employees, is also endorsing Adams

  • The union is also backing Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine for city comptroller and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams for reelection

"So she's stepping up at a time of chaos and confusion. Not out of political motivation or political revenge or even redemption, but a commitment to proudly state and proudly defend, out loud, this city," James said at the announcement.

"We dont need chaos we dont need ego we need leadership that puts people first," Adams said.

She also made pointed criticism of former governor Andrew Cuomo, the front-runner for the primary.

"Yes we lived under the thumb not as the superman of COVID but the one that kept PPE and lifesaving vaccines away from communities of color for far too long. Y'all better tell that story," Adams continued.

Cuomo's campaign declined to respond, but passed on a statement from a surrogate, Bishop Orlando Findlayter.

"Governor Cuomo stood with the Black community during our most difficult days, in ways few elected officials ever have," he wrote in a statement.

The union finalized its endorsements Tuesday night. Adams topped its ranked list of mayoral candidates, followed by Queens Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani and Brooklyn state Sen. Zellnor Myrie.

"What we've seen with DC37 today is an endorsement of candidates such as myself that represent a break from the failed leadership of the previous governor," Mamdani said.

“She not only possesses the skills to lead this city of New York, but [does] it in a way that does not forget the foundations of democracy that we have,” DC 37 executive director Henry Garrido said at the announcement. 

The June 24 primary will be conducted using ranked-choice voting, allowing New Yorkers to rank up to five candidates in order of preference.

The Democratic nominee will face Republican Curtis Sliwa—who is running unopposed in his party—as well as independent candidates, including incumbent Mayor Eric Adams and former federal prosecutor Jim Walden, in the November general election.

The union also endorsed Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine for city comptroller and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams for reelection.