Curtis Sliwa, the red-beret-wearing Republican, is charging into New York City’s mayoral race with gritty determination. The founder of the Guardian Angels, a crime-fighting nonprofit from the 1970s, is banking on a fractured Democratic field to snag a rare GOP win in a city that leans hard left. His campaign, rooted in conservative values, aims to disrupt the progressive tide sweeping the five boroughs.
Sliwa, the GOP nominee for the second straight mayoral election, faces a crowded field in November 2025, including Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, and former federal prosecutor Jim Walden. Each candidate is vying for control of a city grappling with crime, immigration, and cultural divides. Sliwa sees opportunity in the split Democratic vote, hoping to capitalize on voter frustration with progressive policies, reports Fox News.
Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist from Queens, clinched the Democratic nomination in June 2025, besting Cuomo and nine others. His platform, pushing decriminalization of controversial policies like prostitution, has drawn sharp criticism from opponents. Sliwa, in particular, paints Mamdani as a radical whose ideas threaten the city’s stability.
Polls show Mamdani holding a double-digit lead over his rivals. Sliwa, undeterred, calls him “Zohran light” compared to Cuomo and Adams, arguing their policy overlap dilutes their campaigns. This fractured opposition, he believes, gives Republicans a fighting chance.
Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 amid scandals, is running as an independent. His August 18, 2025, remarks to reporters slammed Mamdani’s stance on prostitution, signaling a fierce, independent bid. Yet, Sliwa questions Cuomo’s commitment, noting his cozy ties with certain political heavyweights.
Eric Adams, the incumbent mayor, also runs independently after federal corruption charges against him were dropped earlier in 2025. This legal reprieve could align him with federal policies on immigration, a hot-button issue in the city. Sliwa, however, dismisses Adams as a watered-down version of Mamdani’s agenda.
Jim Walden, another independent, floated a September 2025 survey to unify non-Mamdani candidates by having others drop out. Cuomo gave a half-hearted nod, but Sliwa and Adams flat-out refused. “I’m not dropping out,” Sliwa declared, asserting his major-party status.
“I’m a major party candidate,” Sliwa reiterated, brushing off the independents’ “musical chairs” strategy. His campaign leans on his GOP credentials, distancing himself from the crowded independent field. He’s betting voters see him as the clear conservative choice.
Sliwa’s campaign style is as bold as his Guardian Angels legacy. He’s often seen in his iconic red beret, campaigning in subways and streets, honoring the six Angels killed and dozens injured over 46 years. “It’s in honor of their sacrifice,” he said, doubling down on his grassroots approach.
Sliwa claims no direct talks with President Donald Trump, despite their long, rocky history. “We’ve had a love-hate relationship,” he quipped, acknowledging Trump’s ties to Cuomo and Adams. Reports of an August 2025 call between Trump and Cuomo, which Cuomo denies, add intrigue to the race.
Trump’s labeling of Mamdani as a “communist” reflects a broader GOP tactic to paint Democrats as extremists. Sliwa, while aligned with this rhetoric, urges Trump to stay neutral. He argues the president’s focus should be on global issues like the Israel-Hamas conflict, which he says boosts Mamdani’s campaign among sympathetic voters.
“Every day the war rages, there is a good day for Zohran Mamdani,” Sliwa warned, linking Gaza’s conflict to New York’s electoral mood. He believes graphic war imagery sways city voters, particularly in Mamdani’s favor. It’s a savvy, if grim, observation of urban political dynamics.
Sliwa’s red beret, a symbol of his Guardian Angels roots, is a campaign staple among everyday New Yorkers. “When I’m in the subway… I’m going to wear the beret,” he told Fox News, tying it to his group’s sacrifices. Yet, he ditches it for corporate crowds, admitting they prefer a less militant look.
“Amongst the corporate people… they feel more comfortable when I take my beret off,” Sliwa noted. This “bifurcated” approach shows his knack for reading audiences, balancing authenticity with pragmatism. It’s a calculated move in a city where image matters.
As Mamdani rallies supporters in Prospect Park and Cuomo spars with reporters, Sliwa’s street-level campaign keeps him in the fight. His call to “save this city” resonates with conservatives wary of progressive overreach. Whether his GOP gamble pays off in November 2025 remains a long shot, but Sliwa’s not backing down.
