Eric Adam secured his place as the Democratic candidate in the race for New York City mayor Tuesday, winning the Democratic primary.
Adams — who if elected would only be the second Black mayor of the Big Apple — beat out presidential hopeful turned-mayoral candidate Andrew Yang, Maya Wiley, who was endorsed by New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and top contender Kathryn Garcia.
The Associated Press declared Adams the winner early Tuesday evening based on the latest tabulations, which included most absentee ballots.
The former police captain ran a different race from his fellow Democratic candidates as a moderate and campaigned on opposing the “defund the police” movement.
“We’re not going to recover as a city if we turn back time and see an increase in violence, particularly gun violence,” Adams said following the May shooting of three people, including a 4-year-old girl, in Times Square.
Adams frequently referenced his dual identity and how it shaped his platform for policing in the U.S. during his time on the campaign trail
The 22-year police veteran reportedly suffered his share of police brutality as a Black teenager when he was beaten at the age of 15.
