Brad Lander, New York City’s Comptroller, Will Run Against Mayor Adams

Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller, will announce on Tuesday that he intends to challenge Mayor Eric Adams in next year’s Democratic primary, setting up a rare matchup between the two most prominent citywide elected officials.

Mr. Lander is one of a handful of Democrats seeking to run to the left of Mr. Adams, a moderate whose approval rating has fallen to a record low.

But Mr. Lander made no mention of his progressive roots in his campaign launch video, instead highlighting the concerns of New Yorkers who are worried about budget cuts to libraries and the high costs of child care.

Voters, Mr. Lander says in his video, “can replace a leader when they fail the basic tests of the job: to be honest with us, to keep our families safe, to make sure our kids learn. The basic things New Yorkers need their government to do.”

As the city comptroller, Mr. Lander, 55, serves as a natural foil to the mayor, performing audits and overseeing spending. In one notable example, Mr. Lander restricted the mayor’s emergency spending powers last December after problems arose with a company that had been given a no-bid $432 million contract to provide services to migrants. Mr. Lander’s office is also organizing lawsuits to force congestion pricing to move forward.

He has been a forceful critic of Mr. Adams, singling out the mayor’s handling of the migrant influx as emblematic of his inability to navigate crises.