NYC Mayor’s Race: City’s largest public sector union backs slate with Speaker Adams on top, shutting out Cuomo

The city’s largest municipal workers union on Tuesday night announced its ranking of endorsed Democratic candidates in the 2025 NYC Mayor’s race, putting City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams at number one — a significant win for the speaker that could give her campaign a much-needed boost.

Speaker Adams is also expected to receive the backing of state Attorney General Letitia James at a Wednesday news conference in Manhattan, according to a report from the New York Times.

The union, District Council 37 (DC 37), also ranked Queens Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani number two and Brooklyn state Sen. Zellnor Myrie third. The group is taking advantage of the city’s ranked-choice voting system by encouraging voters to rank the three candidates in the top spots on their ballots. The race’s frontrunner to this point, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was shut out of the DC 37 slate.

DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido said the union, which encompasses 150,000 municipal workers and 89,000 retirees, will work to get out the vote for the three candidates.

“At a time when workers’ rights are being ripped apart at the federal level, it’s more important than ever to elect local candidates who will fight for working families and the services we all rely on,” Garrido said. “This is an especially critical election for our members, who have residency requirements and live within the boroughs they serve— they are not only voting to elect their mayor but also their employer at the city of New York.”

Speaker Adams is also expected to receive the backing of state Attorney General Letitia James at a Wednesday news conference in Manhattan, according to a report from the New York Times.Emil Cohen/NYC Council Media Unit

The union backed Mayor Eric Adams in the 2021 Democratic primary. But the mayor opted out of its endorsement process this year by skipping a late February candidates forum and deciding to forgo running in the Democratic primary altogether and instead run as an independent in the November general election.

The group’s announcement marks a blow to Cuomo, as it is the first major labor union to go against his candidacy. Cuomo, who resigned in 2021 following allegations of sexual harassment by 11 women that he denies, has picked up support from other labor power players, including 32BJ SEIU and the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council.

DC 37 and AG James of Speaker Adams’s backing comes after both the attorney general and Garrido were among the prominent figures who convinced her to enter the race as a counterweight to Cuomo and Mayor Adams, to whom she is not related.

“Our city’s municipal workers are the engine of our city,” Speaker Adams said in a social media post. “Honored to have the support of DC 37 — the largest public employee union in NYC. Ready to put workers first as mayor!”

The speaker’s campaign has struggled to gain momentum as she only jumped into the race in early March, putting her at a disadvantage for fundraising and picking up critical support from other labor unions and elected officials. According to city Campaign Finance Board records, she has so far only raised $126,000, has not yet qualified for public matching funds, and will not be able to receive those dollars until at least late May.

Meanwhile, Cuomo has swept up support the speaker was counting on in her own southeastern Queens backyard. Among those who chose Cuomo over the speaker were Queens Democratic Party boss and US Rep. Gregory Meeks, Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers and state Sen. James Sanders Jr.