Mayor Adams, who has sharply criticized the White House’s handling of immigration in recent weeks, was left off a finalized roster of Democrats tasked with stumping and fund-raising for President Biden’s reelection campaign in 2024, the campaign said Wednesday.
The high-profile surrogate squad featured 50 Democrats, including two New Yorkers: Gov. Hochul and Rep. Grace Meng of Queens. It was not clear why Adams, who was previously said to be a part of the team despite his running criticism of Biden’s immigration policies, did not land on the final roster.
In March, representatives for the mayor said they expected Adams to join the group and that he was pleased to be a part of the so-called national advisory board.
Instead, it appears Hochul, the first woman elected governor of New York, and Meng, a rising star in the House, may serve as the most prominent local faces in Biden’s efforts to run up the score in deep-blue New York next year.
A strong performance by Biden in New York could lift Democrats down the ballot as they seek to pry back control of the House. Republican victories in New York’s midterm election races last year helped cement the five-seat majority the GOP captured in Congress’ lower chamber.
Murmurs of the White House’s frustration at Adams’ frequent criticism of federal immigration policy began swirling long before March. But the tenor of some of Adams’ criticisms has hardened this spring.
Last month, the centrist Adams charged that the “national government has turned its back” on the city, which has welcomed waves of asylum seekers over the last year, straining city services.
“America deserves a plan, and the White House needs to give us that plan,” Adams told reporters at City Hall. “The president and the White House have failed New York City on this issue.”
On Wednesday, a spokesman for the president’s campaign did not immediately respond to a question about the mayor’s absence.
A spokesman for Adams, Evan Thies, said in a text: “The mayor stands ready to help the president with his re-election however he can.”
Adams has maintained that he is a strong supporter of the president. “I like his policies — I think he’s good for the country,” the mayor said in March. “It doesn’t mean I’m going to agree with him 100% on everything.”
Several prominent New York Democrats were not on the final list, including Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of Brooklyn, the House minority leader; Sen. Chuck Schumer of Brooklyn, the Senate majority leader, and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of Albany.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, the former leader of House Democrats, will serve as the chairwoman of the national advisory board, according to the Democratic National Committee. Members of the team will appear in frequent interviews, attend campaign events and join fund-raisers, the committee said.
“The stakes of this election couldn’t be higher,” Biden said in a statement. “Our freedom and democracy are on the line. I’m grateful to this group of diverse and dynamic leaders who will help us win the battle for the soul of America and finish the job for the American people.”
Other members of the squad include Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles.
The group comprises Democrats from red and blue states and from the party’s moderate and progressive wings — from the left-wing Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts to the moderate North Carolina governor, Roy Cooper.
Biden, 80, is seen as the prohibitive front-runner for the Democratic nomination, and no serious challenger has moved to primary him. Former President Donald Trump, 76, holds large polling leads in the growing GOP primary field.
In a statement, Meng said she was “excited to get down to work” for the campaign, adding that Biden has “enacted historic legislation to move our country forward.”
Hochul said in a statement that she was “honored to join the diverse coalition of Democratic leaders” on the team.
“President Biden and Vice President Harris have a proven track record of fighting for working families and have made clear electing a Republican would take us backward,” Hochul said in the statement. “Let’s finish the job.”
