Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa declared on Monday he will remain in the New York City mayoral race, rejecting pressure to withdraw despite trailing in polls.
“I’m the only Republican candidate. I’m the law and order candidate,” Sliwa said in an interview on “The Hill on NewsNation” from Staten Island. “Why would I want to drop out?”
Sliwa’s polling average stands at 17%, down from 28% in his previous mayoral bid. The race has seen a surge in early voting, with turnout five times higher than in 2021.
US President Donald Trump recently commented that Sliwa “is not going to win,” suggesting his withdrawal may benefit former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo against Zohran Mamdani, whom Trump labeled a “communist.” Trump added he would “rather have a Democrat than a communist” leading the city.
Sliwa dismissed the criticism, saying Cuomo should be the one to exit the race after losing the Democratic primary by 13 points. “You don’t win elections by just hanging out in the suites with your billionaire friends,” he said.
He attacked both rivals on crime, calling Cuomo “the architect” of no-cash bail and Mamdani his “apprentice.” Sliwa positioned himself as “an alternative choice” for voters.
Mamdani has faced heavy criticism due to his anti-Israel stance, which includes his criticism of Israel on October 8, 2023 - just one day after the Hamas massacre in southern Israel, as well as his refusal to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada”.
He also recently declared that he would stop using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)’s working definition of antisemitism.
In addition, Mamdani has repeatedly accused Israel of war crimes in its battle against Hamas in Gaza, and has vowed to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits New York City, citing the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued against Netanyahu - even though the US is not a member of the ICC.
He has also come under fire after publicly campaigning with Brooklyn Imam Siraj Wahhaj, a figure named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
Current Mayor Eric Adams, who had been running as an independent, recently withdrew from the race, amid reports that he had been pressured by the White House to do so in a move intended to clear the path for Cuomo to defeat Mamdani. He later endorsed Cuomo.
Following Adams’ withdrawal, several Jewish organizations threw their support behind Cuomo’s election campaign.