Ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday instantly appealed to Republicans to ditch “spoiler” GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa and vote for him as a substitute for mayor, saying it’s the one option to thwart extremist foe Zohran Mamdani.
“The issue is Curtis Sliwa is a spoiler within the race. A vote for Curtis Sliwa can be a vote for Mamdani,” the Democratic ex-governor mentioned on WABC 770 AM’s the “Cats Roundtable” radio program.
“Curtis can’t win,” Cuomo mentioned. “Seventy p.c of the voters are Democrats. … There’s no ballot that reveals him shut.
“What he can do is take sufficient votes to make Zohran the mayor. And he’s going to make Zohran the mayor” if he doesn’t pull out, Cuomo mentioned of Sliwa.
“Will probably be on Curtis,” the New York Metropolis mayoral contender mentioned. “You hear, ‘Curtis loves New York.’ No, he doesn’t. He loves Curtis.
“I wish to say to your Republican listeners: Vote like a New Yorker. Don’t vote like a Republican. A vote for Curtis is a vote for Zohran. Vote like a New Yorker and cease Zohran,” Cuomo informed host John Catsimatidis.
Cuomo’s plea to Republicans comes 9 days earlier than early voting kicks off Saturday forward of the Nov. 4 Election Day. The second and ultimate mayoral debate will probably be hosted on NY1 on Wednesday beginning at 7 p.m.
The previous governor is working out of time to catch as much as Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist. Cuomo is working second behind Mamdani within the polls, whereas Sliwa trails them each.
Some political pundits have mentioned Cuomo solely has at shot at toppling Mamdani if Sliwa’s help collapses and all these right-leaning voters shift to the previous gov.
Mamdani soundly defeated Cuomo within the June Democratic main, so the previous three-term governor is now working on an impartial “Battle and Ship” social gathering line.
A latest Quinnipiac College ballot discovered that after Mayor Eric Adams introduced he wouldn’t search re-election, a lot of his help shifted to Cuomo — although Mamdani nonetheless maintained a 13-point lead.
Cuomo praised Adams for placing “his ego apart” by not searching for re-election — and giving him a greater shot at beating Mamdani.
However Sliwa “needs to be known as out” for alleviating Mamdani’s path to victory by staying within the race, Cuomo mentioned.
Whereas courting Republicans, Cuomo quoted former New York Metropolis Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, who mentioned there’s no Republican or Democratic option to choose up the rubbish.
“Republicans need the town run properly. … I’ll try this,” Cuomo mentioned.
However Sliwa mentioned Cuomo is the one who’s being egocentric by working as an impartial after dropping the Democratic main and claimed that Cuomo and the Democratic institution are accountable if Mamdani wins the mayoralty.
“Now he’s saying, ‘I can’t win with out Sliwa votes.’ The place are your votes!,” Sliwa mentioned of Cuomo on the Nate Friedman present Saturday.
The rise of Mamdani “is the results of Democrats’ self-destruction,” Sliwa mentioned.
“So, I’m supposed to assist them? How come they don’t assist themselves? Andrew Cuomo failed everybody within the [Democratic] main. He even admitted it,” Sliwa mentioned.
“Exit and get your individual votes.”
