New York City Mayor Eric Adams no longer wants to be a Democrat.

The mayor on Thursday announced his plans to drop out of the Democratic primary, saying he will run for reelection as an independent.

“I firmly believe that this city is better served by truly independent leadership, not leaders pulled at by the extremists at the far left or the far right, but instead those rooted in the common middle, the place where the vast majority of New Yorkers are firmly planted,” Adams, a former police officer, said.

The news comes a day after a judge dismissed the mayor’s corruption case, ending a legal battle that raised questions about his political future.

The charges, filed in 2024 during former President Joe Biden’s administration, accused Adams of accepting illegal campaign contributions and travel discounts from a Turkish official and others in exchange for helping Turkey open a diplomatic building without passing fire inspections, among other things.

“My fellow New Yorkers, today finally marks the end of this chapter,” Adams said Wednesday in a social media post. “As you have heard, the judge has dismissed the case against me with prejudice, making it clear that it never can be brought back.

“Let me be clear: As I’ve said all along, this case should have never been brought because I did nothing wrong.”

The mayor pleaded not guilty to the charges and was set for a trial in April, but the case was upended after President Donald Trump’s Justice Department moved to drop the charges.

Adams, in his video announcement, maintained his innocence. He also said the case had “shaken” voters and he admitted he put his trust in the wrong people.

“I know that the accusations leveled against me may have shaken your confidence in me, and that you may rightly have questions about my conduct. And let me be clear, although the charges against me were false, I trusted people I should not have, and I regret that,” he said.

The Democratic primary is in June.

Editor’s note: Associated Press contributed to this report.

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