Curtis Sliwa Vows to Stay in NYC Mayor's Race

Curtis Sliwa Refuses to Step Down, Vows to Compete in New York City Mayoral Race

Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee for mayor of New York City, has made it clear that he will not exit the race to support either Mayor Eric Adams or former Governor Andrew Cuomo in their efforts to prevent Democrat Zohran Mamdani from winning the mayoral seat. Sliwa, who founded the Guardian Angels and previously ran against Adams in 2021, emphasized that the idea of candidates strategically dropping out to block Mamdani is unrealistic and potentially unfair to voters.

Sliwa spoke with CBS News New York's "The Point with Marcia Kramer" on Sunday, where he dismissed the notion of candidates stepping aside to influence the outcome. He argued that if a candidate receives matching funds, they would be required to return those funds if they withdraw. “You think Cuomo’s gonna give it all back? You think Jim Walden’s gonna give it all back? Not gonna happen,” Sliwa said. He also pointed out that even if a candidate drops out, their name remains on the ballot, making the process more complicated than some might assume.

Sliwa added that he has supporters who would never vote for Cuomo under any circumstances. “So let the people decide. Nobody's dropping out. This fantasy idea of Jim Walden, who is really a surrogate for Andrew Cuomo, is not resonating with anybody,” he said.

The Political Dynamics of the Race

Cuomo has indicated that he would consider dropping out only if Adams leads him in pre-election polls. Similarly, Walden has made a similar promise. However, Adams has urged Cuomo to leave the race regardless, arguing that Cuomo already lost once to Mamdani in the Democratic primary.

Sliwa criticized Mamdani’s campaign promises, including a rent freeze on stabilized units, fare-free buses, and city-run grocery stores. He expressed concerns about the feasibility of these policies. “I wouldn't vote for a rent freeze because obviously you're gonna see an abandonment of properties,” Sliwa said. He also questioned the practicality of fare-free buses, noting that many residents do not pay the fare in the first place. “We gotta talk about fare enforcement. Adams hasn't done any fare enforcement. Cuomo, when was governor, hasn't done any ... Somebody's gotta pay for the free buses, right? Nothing is free.”

Regarding city-run grocery stores, Sliwa referenced the failure of such models in places like Kansas City and Cuba. “I was in Havana, I saw. You walk in with a ration book if you're a citizen in Cuba. If you're a tourist, you get to walk to normal kinds of Walmart supermarkets where everything is set. It doesn't work,” he said.

Tax Cuts and Police Expansion

Sliwa has positioned himself as a proponent of tax cuts, particularly for corporate and property taxes in the outer boroughs. However, he emphasized that reducing crime remains his top priority. “First off, you've got to have law and order, because you could cut people's taxes, you could make it more corporate friendly, and they're not gonna stay,” he said.

He proposed adding 7,000 police officers to the city’s force. Sliwa also highlighted his plan to target high-profile entities for tax collection. “I'm gonna add 7,000 cops. And guess who I am taxing? Jimmy Dolan, Madison Square Garden, you owe $43 million in property tax a year. He's had a sweetheart deal,” he said. He also plans to tax Columbia University and New York University “only on their real estate holdings that have nothing to do with education.”

Sliwa argued that these institutions have become large real estate firms, owning significant property in areas like Greenwich Village and Morningside Heights that are unrelated to their educational missions. “That has to be taxed,” he said.

A Broader Political Landscape

Sliwa suggested that some within the Republican Party might prefer a Mamdani victory, believing it could benefit the GOP in the 2026 midterms. “I don't believe President Trump thinks that. He's a New Yorker, but there are others who hate New York,” Sliwa said. He noted that there are many people, even Democrats, who despise New York.

Sliwa is vying to become the first Republican to move into Gracie Mansion since Rudy Giuliani in 1994. Michael Bloomberg, who later switched to the GOP, won the mayoral race in 2001. Bloomberg was an independent during his third term.

Cuomo opted for an independent campaign after losing the Democratic primary, while Adams chose to run as an independent without participating in the primary. Walden also qualified for an independent ballot line. There was no Republican primary this time around.