Curtis Sliwa: Cuomo Guided by Mamdani

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa recently shared his perspective on “The Will Cain Show,” discussing both Andrew Cuomo and Zoran Mamdani.

The underlying sentiment in New York’s mayoral race seems to suggest that Sliwa should step aside for Cuomo, an independent viewed as moderate, to enhance his chances against the current Democratic candidate, Mamdani, who leans socialist.

It’s obvious that allowing Mamdani, with his radical proposals like mobile homeless shelters and police social workers, to lead the city would be disastrous. Additionally, this whole situation stems from the Democratic Party’s choices, particularly their alterations to voting regulations favoring the far left and failing to support Cuomo in the primary.

So, why would Sliwa, a long-time adversary of Cuomo, potentially sacrifice his own ambitions to aid Cuomo against a newcomer, like Mamdani, who hasn’t even held a formal office? It raises questions about the sincerity of the crisis narrative. If this is really that urgent, why haven’t influential Democrats like Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer rallied behind Cuomo?

I mean, here you have two powerful figures in Washington, yet their support seems absent for Cuomo—a man who’s been a guardian of the city for decades.

And has Cuomo really shifted to being a moderate? His record includes signing a bill in 2017 that protects 16- and 17-year-olds from adult prosecution for violent crimes and the controversial bail reform in 2019 that eliminated cash bail for many offenses. Not to mention, the handling of the COVID-19 crisis drew significant criticism for the tragic outcomes in nursing homes.

Let’s not forget his resignation in 2021 amidst sexual misconduct allegations. Sliwa opposed many of Cuomo’s far-left practices, suggesting that had he been in charge, New York would look quite different today.

If Cuomo’s goal is for Sliwa to secure at least 15% of the vote, it’s unclear how he plans to achieve that, especially since he hasn’t made a strong case thus far.

It’s intriguing to think what might happen if Cuomo emulated someone like Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman, who has shown a willingness to critique the far-left elements within his party.

Sure, some may argue that conservative voters should rally behind Cuomo as a lesser evil to Mamdani, but there’s also a strong case to be made that electing Cuomo is merely a temporary fix—the proverbial band-aid on a much larger issue.

This tactic might work for the Democrats; compelling Republicans to support a moderate just because of the option presented seems a bit manipulative. If Sliwa and other Republican voters bail out Cuomo, it’s possible they won’t learn from this situation, allowing a drift toward representational figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar.

When I spoke with some close to Sliwa, they adamantly insisted, “Nothing can pull him out of this race.” There’s no obligation for Sliwa to rescue a party that seems to lack accountability, especially when its leaders appear fearful of Mamdani.

Curtis Sliwa has witnessed both the rise and fall of the city’s safety over the years. As the Republican candidate, he seems clear that unless Cuomo makes concrete concessions to conservative constituents soon, their support will be hard to garner.

Ultimately, Sliwa’s intention is not to save the Democratic Party. That responsibility lies with its leaders, who, to this point, haven’t demonstrated the courage needed to lead.

So, I’ll reiterate: Faget About.