John Catsimatidis and Sid Rosenberg, two of New York’s most influential conservative voices, urged Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa to drop out of the race for Metropolis Corridor on Monday, reasoning it’s vital for him to take action to assist defeating progressive frontrunner Zohran Mamdani.
Catsimatidis, a billionaire businessman and main Republican donor who owns the 77 WABC radio community, made his plea for Sliwa to finish his marketing campaign throughout an look on “Sid and Friends in the Morning,” Rosenberg’s tak present on 77 WABC.
“Curtis has to realize that he should love New York more than anything else. It certainly looks like Curtis should pull out right now,” Catsimatidis stated. “[Sliwa] could win the next election because people will be proud of him for doing the right thing for New York City, instead of the wrong thing.”
“We cannot take a chance on Zohran winning and every common-sense New Yorker feels the same way.”
Each Catsimatidis and Rosenberg argued Sliwa should drop out so as to maximize the probabilities of Andrew Cuomo, the ex-governor who’s working as an impartial and polling because the runner-up to Mamdani.
Sliwa, the founding father of the Guardian Angels, didn’t take kindly to the recommendation and affirmed he has no intension of pulling out.
In a telephone interview, Sliwa blasted Catsimatidis as misinformed and a part of the cohort of billionaires who’ve sought to make use of their cash and affect to tilt the electoral scales.
“John, who’s one of the billionaires, has actually created Zohran Mamdani’s movement … They don’t understand that the people don’t want the billionaires to pick who the next mayor is,” stated Sliwa, who has additionally been a chat radio host on Catsimatidis’ community.
“They need to let the people choose the next mayor. He’s entitled to his opinion, Sid is entitled to his opinion, but they will not decide who the next mayor is. I trust the people, I don’t trust the billionaires.”
Cuomo has himself just lately ramped up stress on Sliwa to step out of the race, saying this previous Friday it might be “very, very, very hard” to beat Mamdani except it’s a head-to-head contest between them.
Polls have constantly proven Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, beating Cuomo by double digits. However a survey from Gotham Polling and AARP New York launched Monday reveals that, in a theoretical one-on-one race, Mamdani solely holds a 44.6%-40.7% lead over Cuomo, with practically 15% of voters undecided, including renewed urgency for Sliwa to name it quits.
Barry Williams / New York Each day Information
Polls have constantly proven Mamdani trouncing Cuomo by double digits. (Barry Williams / New York Each day Information)
In his radio hit, Catsimatidis, who has additionally employed Sliwa as a chat present host on his radio community for years, stated it wasn’t a straightforward name for him to make, including he nonetheless believes Sliwa “would make the best mayor of all the candidates.” Catsimatidis beforehand backed Mayor Adams’ since-suspended reelection bid.
“This has nothing to do with Curtis personally, I love him … but if he can’t win it’s time to move on,” Rosenberg stated. “I can’t have Mamdani win. If that means Cuomo winning, God bless him.”
Sliwa is on go away from his WABC radio present whereas on the mayoral marketing campaign path. Requested if he’s involved Catsimatidis gained’t let him again on the air if he doesn’t heed his name to drop out, Sliwa scoffed.
“Nobody has ever controlled Curtis Sliwa’s life,” he stated.
Later within the day, Mamdani, a democratic socialist who has vowed to as mayor improve taxes on millionaires so as to bankroll his affordability agenda, provided help for Sliwa and urged him to remain within the race.
“I never thought I would say this, but here we are where the only two candidates that agree that billionaires shouldn’t determine the future of this city are the Democratic nominee and the Republican nominee,” Mamdani instructed reporters in Manhattan. “My advice to him is to continue to make his own case.”
Early voting within the Nov. 4 mayoral election begins this Saturday.
Initially Revealed: October 20, 2025 at 1:47 PM EDT
