Curtis Sliwa used his appearance on Newsmax’s Sunday Agenda to deliver a message patriots understand — New York cannot be handed over to radical, untested experiments masquerading as compassion. He told viewers he’s the fighter who understands crime, chaos, and the moral rot that’s driving families out of the city, and he argued that his campaign can blunt the left’s takeover if hardworking New Yorkers unite behind common-sense leadership. Conservatives should listen when a lifelong New Yorker says he won’t let the city be sacrificed to ideology.
Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, fresh off a shock primary victory, now sits atop the ballot for November and the stakes could not be higher for the city’s safety and prosperity. Mamdani’s rise has energized coastal progressives and the national left, but his policies — bold, expensive, and untried on the scale he promises — pose real risks to ordinary families already squeezed by inflation and rising crime. This is not a theoretical debate: the Democratic convention and the primary outcome have made him the central figure in what may be the most consequential municipal election in a generation.
Mamdani’s platform reads like a wish list for bureaucrats and big-spending activists: free buses, government-run grocery stores, and massive new housing subsidies funded by higher taxes on success. Those ideas sound appealing in a campaign speech but translate into higher bills, fewer jobs, and more incentives for dependency when put into practice by a city already hemorrhaging middle-class families. New Yorkers deserve leaders who put safety and prosperity first, not pet projects that expand government control over daily life.
Polls show Mamdani with a significant lead as Election Day approaches, which makes the challenge for conservatives both urgent and clear: organize, message, and show up. The numbers are a reality check, but they’re not a prophecy; history teaches that motivated turnout and a clear contrast on crime, taxes, and order can change the trajectory of a race. Sliwa’s path is uphill, but conservative voters should treat that as a call to action rather than an excuse to stay home.
Sliwa has been sharpening a message aimed at putting money back into New Yorkers’ pockets and restoring public safety, even proposing direct relief like a $500 rebate on Manhattan congestion tolls and targeted tax relief for residents who’ve been squeezed out. These are practical steps that appeal to working families who don’t want lectures from elites — they want relief and safety now. That contrast between rescue and redistribution is where Sliwa hopes to make the race competitive and where conservatives can clearly lay out the stakes for voters.
The national spotlight has complicated the race: President Trump has been publicly cool toward Sliwa, and the New York media have delighted in framing any divergence as fatal to the campaign. Sliwa has pushed back with the politics of results and coalition-building, warning that New Yorkers will suffer when the city descends into ideological brawls instead of getting practical governance. This campaign is bigger than personal spats; it’s about who will protect our streets and our wallets, and Sliwa argues no amount of infighting with powerful figures should stop a revival of civic order.
Even prominent conservatives like Rudy Giuliani told Newsmax not to count Sliwa out, reminding patriots that New York voters respect toughness on crime and practical experience in keeping neighborhoods safe. That endorsement is a rallying cry for Republicans and independents who still believe the city can be reclaimed from the wrecking ball of progressive experiments. If conservatives want to save this city, they must stop moaning, start organizing, and vote like the future of their families depends on it — because it does.
New Yorkers and hardworking Americans watching this race should know what’s at stake: a victory for Mamdani would signal that big, unchecked government and soft-on-crime policies are rewarded, while a win for Sliwa would mean a return to common-sense priorities and accountability. The choice is stark and the time to act is now — knock on doors, talk to neighbors, and make November a referendum on order, opportunity, and respect for hard work. If patriots rise to the moment, they can turn this fight into a comeback story that proves once again that America rewards courage and common sense.
