Swawa is not known as Shiya.
Curtis Sliwa, the GOP Mayoral Nominee, made a bold gesture on Monday, urging anyone trying to entice him out of the mayoral race to instead follow the lead of Eric Adams.
During a media event, the founder of the Guardian Angels condemned an unnamed New Yorker for allegedly trying to persuade him to withdraw his campaign in exchange for a substantial financial incentive.
“Seven different people, over many years, amounts to $10 million,” he stated, speaking to Fox5.
“You’ll go out and help the guardian angels and support animal welfare, but if you’re careful, if you understand the situation,” he explained.
Despite Sliwa’s strong stance, there are reports that certain prominent real estate figures in New York are trying to create a two-candidate race between Democratic frontrunner Zoran Mamdani and former governor Andrew Cuomo, sources indicated.
Some business leaders believe Sliwa is vulnerable to being pushed aside. President Trump reportedly had a conversation with billionaire John Catsimatidis, suggesting that he might influence events on Sliwa’s behalf.
However, political insiders argue that Sliwa, who adores cats and lives in a small apartment with many of them, is unlikely to bow out. “He’s not going anywhere,” said one source.
“Catsimatidis can attempt to sway him, and there’s pressure coming from Trump,” the source added.
“Curtis enjoys his modest lifestyle and doesn’t seem interested in money.”
The push for Sliwa to exit his mayoral campaign began several months ago and intensified after Adams, who’s now in fourth place, formally dropped out of the re-election race on Sunday.
Both Adams and Sliwa are facing growing calls to step aside, especially as polls indicate Cuomo could be the leading candidate to disrupt their chances of winning.
Yet Sliwa’s campaign is seen as the Republicans’ strongest shot in two decades, he remarked at a press conference on the Upper West Side, where he claimed Cuomo had already suffered a significant blow in the Democratic primary against Mamdani.
Cuomo’s past defeats are reigniting discussions among notable New Yorkers, including billionaire Bill Ackman, who believes Adams may not be the right choice to challenge Mamdani effectively.
Ackman and others have noted that in a direct matchup against Mamdani, polls suggest Cuomo might perform better than Adams.
“Imagine how foolish it would be to drop out for Eric Adams, the foolish clown,” he said.
Some attempts by party insiders to have Sliwa withdraw are viewed as a potential strategy to shift the race dynamics, but, as Republican consultant Bill O’Reilly pointed out, Sliwa has worked hard to get to this point.
“It could be too much to expect,” O’Reilly remarked.
In recent polling, Sliwa is trailing behind with only 11%, compared to Mamdani’s 47% and Cuomo’s 29%.
Trump mentioned Sliwa or Cuomo in a post on Monday, notably avoiding criticism of Mamdani, whom he referred to as a misguided Communist.
“He’s going to encounter serious issues with Washington, like previous mayors of a great city,” Trump wrote. “Remember, he needs me to fund his unrealistic promises.”
Sliwa accused Adams of receiving leniency from Trump due to a controversially dismissed corruption case.
He did not hold back his disdain for the mayor, declaring, “I’m not mourning Eric Adams. He should be behind bars with (former Senator) Bobby Menendez. He’s a fraud.”
