Giuliani Backs Sliwa in Mayoral Race, Critiques Cuomo

Rudy Giuliani recently expressed his support for Curtis Sliwa in the Republican mayoral election, which took place on Monday night. This development poses a challenge to unaffiliated candidate Andrew Cuomo, who is seeking broader appeal to compete against leading contender Zoran Mamdani.

“This is my choice: 100%, Curtis Sliwa,” said Giuliani, 81, during his X-podcast episode featuring Sliwa.

The former mayor and legal counsel for Trump criticized both Mamdani and Cuomo, the latter of whom lost to Mamdani in the Democratic primary earlier this year. Cuomo is now entering the general election as a moderate, hoping to replace what many view as a likely socialist candidate.

Giuliani remarked on how Cuomo ran a “terrible campaign” in the Democratic primary, highlighting that he lost to a 33-year-old, referring to Mamdani.

He also mentioned Cuomo’s resignation amid multiple sexual harassment allegations, stating, “He is also the governor who resigned in a shameful resignation,” a claim Cuomo has denied.

Giuliani sharply criticized Cuomo’s administration for its decisions during the pandemic, particularly the March 25, 2020, order that mandated nursing homes to accept COVID-19 patients who had been discharged from hospitals. He argued that this policy led to unnecessary deaths among the elderly population placed in facilities where they shouldn’t have been.

“It has killed so many elderly people who were placed in nursing homes and did not belong there,” Giuliani asserted.

He accused Cuomo of deflecting blame associated with the nursing home issues while firmly stating, “It’s his fault!”

Additionally, Giuliani pointed out Cuomo’s role during the approval of controversial bail reforms, criticizing these changes for allegedly enabling repeat offenders.

Giuliani accused Mamdani of being overly lenient with crime policies, suggesting that over the past eight years, more than 40 convicted police murderers have benefited under his watch.

He didn’t hold back in his remarks, labeling Mamdani a “open communist” and alleging that he, along with his associates, “defends all evil.”

“He prefers Islamic extremists to America. He prefers Marxist communism to America,” Giuliani claimed.

Regarding Mamdani’s remarks about the New York City Police, Giuliani insisted that such comments were unacceptable and demanded an apology.

Despite pressures from fellow Republicans and friends urging him to support Cuomo, Giuliani remains steadfast in his principles, recalling his previous support for Mario Cuomo, Andrew’s father, during a past election.

His endorsement of Sliwa contrasts with that of Trump, who has not backed Sliwa, labeling the timing as “not prime time.”

Giuliani, despite his ongoing controversies and legal challenges since 2020, continues to hold some sway among urban Republicans and moderate voters.

Sliwa expressed his enthusiasm over Giuliani’s support, referring to him as the “great mayor” of New York and committing to become “Giuliani 2.0.”

As Giuliani navigates both his legal issues—including charges in Georgia and Arizona—he remains a notable figure in the political landscape, particularly during this critical election period.