Mayor Eric Adams’ decision to drop out of the mayoral race Sunday won’t dramatically change the shape of the contest, according to Columbia political strategist Basil Smikle.

Speaking to WNYC on Sunday, Smikle said Adams’ poor polling meant that most of his supporters had already gravitated to other candidates. While Adams’ exit narrows the field to Democrat Zohran Mamdani, Republican Curtis Sliwa and independent Andrew Cuomo, Smikle said Mamdani’s lead remains solid.

“Even if all those voters came out and went behind another candidate other than Mamdani, based on the polling, it still really wouldn't close that gap,” Smikle said. “So from that perspective, I don't know that he has a lot to worry about.”

Smikle added that although it’s unlikely, it isn’t impossible that the race narra

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