Adams says Democratic Party has to be ‘radically practical’ in midterms

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) on Sunday said the Democratic Party has to be “radically practical” if it wants to win November’s midterm elections.

Asked by co-anchor Jake Tapper on CNN’s “State of the Union” about comments Adams made in June critiquing the party’s strategy, the New York City mayor said Democrats should focus on “kitchen table issues” that “everyday” individuals care about in the upcoming midterm races.

“I think we can reset the message and we can put the ship on its right course. We have to be radically practical, radically practical. We need to deal with those kitchen table issues that are important to everyday Americans and New Yorkers,” Adams said.

“I strongly feel that we can’t allow social media to dictate what happens. I say it all the time, it’s people on social security we need to be focusing on and they’re focusing on healthcare, educating their grandchildren and children, they’re focused on affordable housing and jobs. These are the issues that we are, we must be looking at and ensuring that we are living in a safe city and a safe country,” he added.

Adams made headlines in June for offering commentary on his party as his lead in the mayoral race was growing.

The then-Brooklyn borough president told reporters that he was “the face of the new Democratic Party,” adding, “If the Democratic Party fails to recognize what he did here in New York, then they’re going to have a problem in the midterm elections, and they’re going to have a problem in the presidential elections.”

He went on to say at the time that the mayoral race results showed that America wanted to have justice, safety and end inequality, before evaluating the type of candidates constituents were looking to support.

“We don’t want fancy candidates; that nails are not polished, they have calluses on their hands and they’re blue-collared people that understand a blue-collared country,” Adams said. “That’s what we want.”

The newly minted mayor on Sunday said that if his party focuses on kitchen table issues and lets them “cascade throughout this entire country,” Democrats will flock to the polls in November.

“And we have that message homed in and let it cascade throughout this entire country, you’re going to see those Democrats come to the polls, polling places, because they understand we’re dealing with those real issues that impact them,” Adams said.

On the campaign train in the Big Apple, Adams portrayed himself as a moderate candidate who would work to tame the city’s increasing violent crime. He did not, however, embrace, calls to “defund the police,” which have been touted by some more liberal members of the party.