Can Comptroller Brad Lander defeat NYC Mayor Adams? Analysts weigh in

NEW YORK (PIX11) -- New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is the latest official to announce his candidacy in the 2025 mayoral election against Eric Adams.

Lander has been critical of Adams, saying the mayor is not doing his job of making New York a safer, more affordable, and better-run city.

Jeff Coltin of Politico and Ben Max, executive director of the Center for New York City Law, sat down with PIX on Politics host Henry Rosoff to discuss the impacts of Lander running against Adams.

"Everyone expected the mayor's first attack out the gate to be about race as the second Black mayor in New York City history," said Coltin.

Coltin pointed to the presidential election and said Adams will draw on the fact that Kamala Harris has the opportunity to become the nation's second Black president.

Max said Lander is currently Adams's strongest challenger but added that the real mayoral race will not heat up until after the presidential election.

"Lander is a very formidable opponent. His path to victory is recreating a 2021 electoral map that he had in the comptroller's race that doesn't even require him to break into Mayor Adams' base. This is a very interesting race unfolding with a lot of interesting dynamics that will come into play once we get into next year," said Max.

Watch the video player for the full panel.