DC 37, New York City’s largest municipal union, endorses Adrienne Adams as their leading candidate for mayor.

DC 37, the largest municipal union in New York City, has officially endorsed City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as its primary candidate for mayor. This endorsement comes at a crucial moment for Adams, whose campaign has faced significant hurdles in gaining traction since its launch last month. The union, which represents approximately 150,000 active city employees and nearly 90,000 retirees, also encouraged its members to rank Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani as the second choice and Brooklyn State Senator Zellnor Myrie as the third in the upcoming Democratic mayoral primary scheduled for June.

DC 37’s Executive Director, Henry Garrido, expressed pride in supporting pro-worker candidates, emphasizing the need to elect local officials who will champion the rights of working families and the essential services they depend on. Amidst a national trend of erosion in workers’ rights at the federal level, the union highlighted the importance of local leadership that prioritizes labor issues.

Speaker Adams, although a familiar figure in City Hall, has encountered difficulties in expanding her appeal citywide since she declared her candidacy. Current polling indicates that her support hovers around 5%, placing her significantly behind former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who remains in the lead, and Mamdani, who is positioned as a strong competitor.

The timing of this endorsement is particularly strategic, as it differentiates DC 37 from other influential unions in New York City, which have thrown their weight behind Cuomo. Unions such as 32 BJ and the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council have endorsed Cuomo as their sole candidate, marking a divide in labor support leading into the June 24 Democratic primary.

Cuomo has made a concerted effort to gain the DC 37 endorsement, especially following his resignation as governor in 2021 amidst sexual misconduct allegations—a claim he denies. Internal discussions among DC 37 officials revealed that a decision to support Adams over Cuomo was partly influenced by his prior decisions as governor to raise the retirement age and cut certain benefits for public sector retirees. The union’s endorsement may present challenges should Cuomo secure the mayoralty, as DC 37 would need to negotiate contracts with his administration.

The consequences of this endorsement extend beyond the mayoral race. It represents a setback for city Comptroller Brad Lander, who has generally been regarded as the third candidate in recent polls. Mayor Eric Adams also sought the DC 37 endorsement but withdrew from the Democratic primary earlier this month to pursue reelection as an independent in the general election.

In addition to their mayoral endorsements, DC 37 has backed Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine for city comptroller, favoring him over Brooklyn Councilman Justin Brannan, and supports current Public Advocate Jumaane Williams in his reelection campaign against Queens Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar.

As the primary approaches, the dynamics of labor support will play a critical role in shaping the candidates’ paths to success in New York City’s political landscape.