NYC Republican Curtis Sliwa Faces Pressure From Boss to Exit Mayoral Race

Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate for New York City mayor, is facing significant pressure from prominent Republicans, including his employer John Catsimatidis, to drop out of the race to consolidate opposition against Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani. Catsimatidis and other GOP backers support Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent, believing Cuomo could more effectively challenge Mamdani. Despite this, Sliwa has dismissed calls to withdraw, emphasizing that voters, not billionaires, should decide the city's future and asserting his representation of blue-collar workers. Cuomo has acknowledged it would be difficult to win without Sliwa dropping out but remains hopeful for unified opposition. Catsimatidis publicly stated that Sliwa should prioritize the city's interests and suggested that withdrawing could make Sliwa a hero for helping prevent a Mamdani victory. The ongoing political rivalry highlights tensions within the Republican camp as they seek to influence the outcome of the mayoral race.