‘Passing the baton’: de Blasio throws support to Adams’ mayoral bid at City Hall rally

Democrat Eric Adams kicked off his general election campaign with a big rally at City Hall Park today, Aug. 2 with over 60 elected officials in attendance including current term-limited Mayor Bill de Blasio, who officially gave Adams his nod to succeed him.

“I’m here to endorse Eric Adams because I believe in him,” said de Blasio. “We’re going to pass the baton to a great leader.”

De Blasio has been an advocate for Adams and his campaign since he won the Democratic mayoral primary, but this was the first time he endorsed him as mayor.

Unity was a major theme of the rally, as officials preached the importance of putting their support towards Adams for mayor. Adams spoke about listening to everyone, even those who don’t share the same opinions as him.

“I don’t discard people who disagree with me. I want to learn from them on how I can be better as a human being and as a leader,” said Adams.

He continued to say that he wants to open a City Hall in every borough in order to spend time in communities across the City.

“We have centralized our power to one location. This is not a Manhattan-only city. This is an outer-borough city,” said Adams

There were 60 new endorsements for Adams today, according to Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez (D-Manhattan), an early Adams supporter. Some of the notable names in attendance included Assemblymember Rodynese Bichotte (D-Brooklyn), Council Member Carlina Rivera (D-Manhattan), Council Member Robert Corngey (D-Brooklyn), Congressmembers Grace Meng and Greg Meeks (D-Queens), and Council Member Ben Kallos (D-Manhattan).

Various speakers at the rally argued that Adams’ past shows that he is actually a progressive.

“I know a progressive when I see one and that is Eric Adams,” said Kallos, who is a co-chair on the City Council’s Progressive Caucus.

The general election is scheduled to take place on November 2. Adams is a heavy favorite to win against the Republican nominee for mayor Curtis Sliwa.