Eric Adams Discussed Possible Republican Primary Run With G.O.P. Leader

The mayor discussed options to run for re-election in the Republican contest as recently as Monday. Asked for comment, he said he was running as a Democrat.

Mayor Eric Adams of New York City has quietly explored running in this spring’s Republican primary as he searches for a path to a second term, according to one Republican official and two people familiar with his deliberations.

The mayor, a Democrat, had privately weighed for weeks whether to change his party affiliation or seek a waiver to run in both the Democratic and Republican primaries. But conversations ramped up around the time President Trump’s Justice Department ordered prosecutors to drop corruption charges against him.

Mr. Adams spoke about his political options by phone on Monday with Mike Rendino, the Bronx Republican Party chairman, Mr. Rendino said. The mayor separately connected with Andrea Catsimatidis, the chairwoman of the Manhattan Republican Party, though it was unclear if the race was discussed, according to one of the people familiar with the deliberations.

“He just wanted to speak about pleasantries,” Mr. Rendino said in an interview. “I said let’s not beat around the bush, you’re obviously calling for more than that.”

When the mayor pressed him on the process to run in the Republican primary, Mr. Rendino said, he laid out two potential paths. Mr. Adams could join the party, the chairman told him. Or he could seek a waiver, known as a Wilson Pakula certificate, from Republican county leaders to run on their ballot line without changing parties.

“He didn’t say one way or another what he wanted to do,” Mr. Rendino said.