Curtis Sliwa stood his ground on Newsmax this week, flatly refusing the calls from party insiders and wealthy donors to bow out of the New York City mayoral race. “I know I can win,” he told Rob Schmitt, insisting he won’t abandon the Republican voters who put him on the ballot or surrender the fight for law and order to radical Democrats.
Sliwa made his case the old-fashioned way — on the streets and in debates — arguing that grassroots energy and tough-on-crime credibility matter more than backroom deals. He reminded viewers that he is the official Republican nominee and that major-party candidates don’t simply step aside for an independent who couldn’t win a primary.
That defiance has drawn a furious reaction from some establishment figures who claim Sliwa’s presence hands the race to progressive Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. Influential Republicans, including billionaire John Catsimatidis, have publicly urged Sliwa to withdraw so anti-socialist votes can coalesce behind Andrew Cuomo — a move the donor class insists is “practical” but reeks of elite entitlement.
Polls do show Mamdani with a lead in a three-way contest, but the numbers tell a warning tale for anyone banking on a corporate-engineered coronation. A recent AARP/Gotham survey found Mamdani ahead in a three-way test while also revealing the race tightens dramatically if Sliwa exits, with Cuomo closing the gap to within the margin of error — proof that cynical pressure campaigns could accidentally gift the city to the left.
Conservatives should reject the notion that purity of party means abandoning principle. Sliwa is more than a spoiler; he’s the legitimate standard-bearer who offers a clear alternative to Mamdani’s socialist agenda and Cuomo’s toxic political baggage, a point even neutral outlets have acknowledged as the dynamic between the three candidates has sharpened. Real unity comes from winning on ideas and turnout, not from last-minute edicts from Wall Street donors.
Sliwa didn’t mince words about Cuomo’s record, charging the former governor with real-world consequences from his pandemic-era decisions — a raw reminder conservatives should use to challenge any whitewash of Cuomo’s stewardship. Meanwhile, Mamdani’s progressive platform remains deeply unpopular with older, swing voters who are still undecided and who could be decisive if Republicans refuse to be cowed.
If conservatives care about saving New York City from crime, chaos, and woke experimentation, they should respect the will of voters and the integrity of the ballot. Curtis Sliwa is running because he believes in giving New Yorkers a real choice; any attempt to engineer outcomes from the top down insults everyday patriots doing the door-to-door work. Let the people decide — and then rally behind the candidate who can actually beat the left where it counts: at the ballot box.
