The New York City mayoral race is shaping up to be one of the most fascinating contests in recent memory. According to the latest polls, Zohran Momdani leads with 43.3% of likely voters supporting him, followed by Andrew Cuomo at 28.9%, and Curtis Sliwa trailing at 19.4%.
The Frontrunners
Zohran Momdani, a self-described socialist, is running on a platform that includes free bus rides, free daycare, and city-owned grocery stores to reduce prices by cutting out middlemen. He also advocates replacing portions of the NYPD with social workers and assigning dispatchers to decide when to send police or social workers on 911 calls. Additionally, he wants to expand the “no cash bail” program, freeze rent increases, and build more city-owned apartments—all funded by sharply increasing taxes on businesses and wealthy New Yorkers.
Critics warn that Momdani’s proposals would devastate the city’s finances. Businesses and high-income residents could leave in droves, eroding the tax base and causing economic decline. His policies, many argue, would drive up crime and push New York City into fiscal chaos.
Andrew Cuomo, meanwhile, is no stranger to controversy. The former governor of New York resigned amid multiple sexual harassment allegations and a scandal over the handling of COVID-19 patients in nursing homes—an action linked to thousands of elderly deaths. His tenure as governor was marked by sweeping shutdowns that crippled many small businesses. For many voters, Cuomo’s record raises serious doubts about his fitness to lead the city.
Both Momdani and Cuomo carry significant baggage. If either wins, critics fear it could spell disaster for what was once the greatest city in the world.
Enter Curtis Sliwa: The Dark Horse
That leaves Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, as the clear outsider—and perhaps the only viable alternative. Although a Republican in a heavily Democratic city, Sliwa should not be dismissed. New York has elected Republican mayors before—figures who cleaned up the city and restored prosperity. History shows that political affiliation alone doesn’t determine victory when public safety and quality of life are at stake.
Sliwa’s Platform
Sliwa’s policies focus heavily on law and order, accountability, and economic revival. Among his key proposals:
- Hire 7,000 additional police officers to reduce crime across the five boroughs.
- Repeal Section 50-a, restoring protections for officers.
- Detain violent repeat offender teens rather than returning them to the streets.
- End parole for cop killers.
- Eliminate no-cash bail for repeat offenders.
- Restore sensible discovery laws to help district attorneys prosecute cases effectively.
- Expand the Guardian Angels’ role in community safety.
- Leverage endorsements, including from Andrew Giuliani—son of “America’s Mayor,” Rudy Giuliani.
Sliwa argues that his approach would clean up New York, attract business investment, and create jobs—addressing the city’s sluggish economic growth.
A Hidden Advantage: The Jewish Vote
Sliwa also enjoys strong ties with New York’s Jewish community. His Guardian Angels regularly patrol Jewish neighborhoods, building trust and goodwill. With over 700,000 registered Jewish voters in the city—and average mayoral election turnouts around 1.3 million—that bloc could be decisive. Sliwa is pro-Israel, unlike Momdoni, and his Angels are also part of his campaign team. He already has over 250,000 voters committed to him, and if he can get at least ½ of the Jewish voters to come to him, he has a big chance to win!
Momdani’s perceived hostility toward Israel and past anti-Semitic remarks have alienated many Jewish voters, while Cuomo’s scandals continue to tarnish his credibility. This gives Sliwa a potential opening that few are acknowledging.
The Bottom Line
Curtis Sliwa may be the underdog in this race, but history has shown that underdogs can surprise everyone. With New York at a crossroads—struggling with crime, affordability, and political polarization—Sliwa’s tough, pragmatic vision could resonate with voters desperate for stability and safety.
The real question isn’t whether he’s a dark horse. It’s whether New Yorkers are ready to give him the chance to prove he’s the real contender.