In a twist of political allegiances, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has thrown his support behind Curtis Sliwa in the mayoral race. Giuliani, who led the city from 1994 to 2001, praised Sliwa as a hero for New York, saying he's like "Rudy Giuliani 2.0." Giuliani's endorsement came through a live stream on his X profile, where he also acknowledged pressure from Republicans to support former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, according to CBS News.
Despite Giuliani's backing, several of his former aides and close associates are endorsing Cuomo over Sliwa. Joe Lhota, Giuliani's former deputy mayor and ex-MTA chief under Cuomo, has sided with Cuomo, referring to the decision as one between "a proven manager, a socialist and a fruit loop," as reported by the New York Post. Additionally, Anthony Carbonetti, Giuliani’s chief of staff at City Hall, and Mike Mukasey, former GOP US Attorney General under President George Bush, have both publicly supported Cuomo, citing concerns over front-runner Zohran Mamdani's socialist policies.
Running on the independent "Fight and Deliver" ballot line, Cuomo is positioned as the most viable alternative to Mamdani, especially after Mayor Eric Adams announced he would not seek re-election. Mukasey highlighted the importance of preventing irreversible damage he believes could ensue if Mamdani takes office, saying, "The first rule for Republicans must be that our city should not be put at risk of irreversible damage, which it would be if Mamdani is elected," in an op-ed referenced by the New York Post.
Meanwhile, the Sliwa campaign has downplayed the significance of support for Cuomo from Giuliani's network, with campaign adviser Rob Cole dismissing Joe Lhota's switch to the Democratic Party since 2016 and his work with Cuomo. "Big deal," Cole stated, reflecting the campaign's seeming indifference to the endorsements. Recent polls, however, indicate a challenging path for Sliwa, placing him a distant third with Mamdani leading and Cuomo trailing behind as a second runner. Despite Mamdani's lead, he garners less than 50% of the vote, leaving room for contest in a volatile electoral landscape.
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