I agree with Curtis Sliwa on a lot — however he is not – Latest News
Will Curtis Sliwa have any regrets if he wakes up on November 5 and Zohran Mamdani is the new mayor of New York — figuring out he might have stepped apart and cleared the crowded marketing campaign area that many concern will break up the vote?
“Nope,” the Republican candidate informed me.
So he’s not prepared to sacrifice his candidacy to avoid wasting town he loves from socialism?
“That’s based on the idea that everyone is going to go over and vote Cuomo. Ain’t happening. They hate Cuomo. I’m in the streets every day. All I hear is ‘slapping fannies and killing grannies.’ He’s never apologized,” Sliwa mentioned of Andrew Cuomo’s COVID and #MeToo scandals.
Curtis Sliwa repeatedly campaigns within the subways he’s patrolled as a Guardian Angel for many years. Debra L Rothenberg/Shutterstock
Meanwhile, a new AARP ballot exhibits Mamdani’s help at 42% amongst registered voters; Cuomo is at 23%, fellow unbiased Adams is at 9%, and Sliwa claims 16%. It would stand to cause the three need to change into one to beat the Democratic socialist.
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But Sliwa says it isn’t taking place.
“Nobody is getting out. Cuomo isn’t, [Eric] Adams isn’t. Every day there’s a discussion about dropping out, that’s a good day for Mamdani,” Sliwa mentioned.
I met with the 71-year-old at his Midtown marketing campaign headquarters. While he’s been an NYC tabloid determine because the late Nineteen Seventies, when he launched the civilian crime-fighting group the Guardian Angels, he’s currently been nearly unrecognizable — taking off his signature purple beret in conferences to look more like a severe politician.
Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist, is main the crowded area within the mayoral race. James Keivom
The factor is, I love every thing Sliwa has to say, particularly about quality-of-life crackdowns.
He desires to cut taxes, ditch congestion pricing and sort out the pricey epidemic of fare evasion.
“I laugh when Mamdani says ‘free bus fare‘ and everyone is having a heart attack. I said, ‘Hold on, people aren’t paying in the first place. Why don’t we just enforce the fare?’” Sliwa mentioned. “Adams didn’t do it. Cuomo didn’t do it. We need a no-tolerance policy.”
Mayor Eric Adams, who is operating as an unbiased, is not performing nicely in polls. REUTERS
Can I get an amen?
Like Mamdani, Sliwa speaks about affordability, particularly for youthful New Yorkers who can’t “afford the American dream anymore. They’re in their 30s and still living in a dormitory” — I suppose he means they’ve a lot of roommates — “yet they have a professional career and make good money.”
Unlike the photogenic Mamdani, the Republican is not offering a buffet of cockamamie socialist coverage “solutions.”
But on this crowded area, I don’t suppose Sliwa has a shot at taking down Mamdani and his harmful DSA ideology.
He wholeheartedly disagrees. “I have a very good shot.”
Curtis Sliwa repeatedly campaigns on the subway, calling it the “best focus group of all. All it costs you is a swipe.” Debra L Rothenberg/Shutterstock
The final time Sliwa ran for mayor, in 2021, town was lumbering by means of the COVID cloud. He misplaced to Eric Adams and earned solely 27.8% of the vote.
“I feel I can start with about 28%,” Sliwa mentioned, “and if I can get up to 32, 33, 34%, I’ll be the next mayor of New York City.”
This time round, his marketing campaign is pushing early voting, making an attempt to court docket Millennials and Gen Z-ers who aren’t drunk on Mamdani’s “everything is free” socialist brew — and reaching out to Muslim voters.
Mamdani is far, far more progressive than most Muslims within the metropolis. But Sliwa believes many conservative Muslims are turned off by cultural assaults from some politicians on the fitting, like Marjorie Taylor Greene. Last month, the consultant from Georgia shared a meme of the Statue of Liberty lined in a burka.
Because of insults like that, “Some feel compelled to support Mamdani,” mentioned Sliwa.
Curtis Sliwa has been a tabloid staple because the late Nineteen Seventies, when he began the Guardian Angels. Bettmann Archive
Still — “All the halal and coffee wagons, Uber drivers are all capitalists. I’m working on them to vote for me.”
Sliwa blames Adams and his cronyism scandals for the rise of Mamdani. As for Cuomo, “He told a group in the Hamptons that he’s moving to Florida if he loses. He’s waving a white flag,” alleged the Canarsie native.
Despite reviews, Sliwa mentioned President Trump hasn’t supplied him a job in Washington to get him out of the race — nor has Trump referred to as the Republican candidate to offer help.
Curtis Sliwa has began eradicating his signature purple beret during some marketing campaign conferences. James Messerschmidt for NY Post
Sliwa is non-plussed.
“I believe the president has far more serious issues to deal with, like peace in Ukraine and, if he can — and he alone can — resolving the Gaza situation.”
As we wrap up our interview, Sliwa places on his hat and we enterprise down Sixth Avenue. The purple beret is like a beacon, attracting a Midtown crowd. One man faucets him for a selfie. A bunch of blue-collar employees abandon their spot in a lunch-truck line to shake his hand and want him luck.
A well dressed lady in her 50s flags him down. A black man calls out in heavily-accented English from behind the wheel of a black SUV: “Curtis, I’ve always wanted to meet you!”
Curtis Sliwa mentioned New York voters haven’t forgiven Andrew Cuomo and that he’s by no means apologized for his personal {and professional} scandals. Matthew McDermott
Curtis Sliwa and his spouse Nancy are enthusiastic about cats and animal rights. Matthew McDermott
A union plumber who grew up in Staten Island jumped off a bench to offer his help. He and his colleagues mentioned they might vote for Sliwa … however all of them moved out to the ’burbs during COVID as a result of town was too soiled, too crime-ridden and too costly.
It’s a acquainted chorus.
Sliwa desires to avoid wasting town — are there enough voters left who need to as nicely?
