Independent mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo is signaling a willingness to build a bipartisan coalition, even if it means offering his rival, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, a position in his potential administration.
The offer, hinted at during a Tuesday radio appearance, comes as Cuomo seeks to close the polling gap with Democratic frontrunner Zohran Mamdani ahead of the November 4 general election.
Mamdani has maintained a steady double-digit lead since his decisive victory in June’s Democratic primary, establishing himself as the clear favorite in the three-way race. But a new AARP/Gotham Polling & Analytics poll revealed that the dynamics could shift dramatically if Sliwa were to bow out.
According to the poll, Mamdani’s lead would shrink from double digits to just four percentage points, within the survey’s margin of error, if the race became a one-on-one contest between Mamdani and Cuomo.
The finding has energized moderate Democrats and Republicans eager to see a more competitive race, with some urging Sliwa to step aside and consolidate opposition to Mamdani.
Among the most prominent voices calling for Sliwa to drop out is billionaire John Catsimatidis, the supermarket magnate and owner of Red Apple Media and WABC Radio, where Sliwa hosts a popular talk show. Catsimatidis appeared on the Sid Rosenberg Show Monday morning, urging Sliwa to do the right thing and give Cuomo a fighting chance.
The following day, Cuomo joined Rosenberg on air and appeared open to the idea of collaborating with Sliwa. When asked whether he would consider offering the Guardian Angels founder a position in City Hall, Cuomo first said he hadn’t thought about it, but later suggested he would welcome the opportunity.
“That would be something that I would be interested in,” Cuomo said. “We need a coalition to run this city. We need New Yorkers to come together.”
The remarks mark a noticeable shift from Cuomo’s comments the previous night, when he dismissed the notion of a deal during a conversation with businessman Elisha Wiesel.
Still, despite mounting pressure, the Sliwa campaign remains unmoved. “Curtis Sliwa stands firm and is not dropping out,” campaign spokesperson Daniel Kurzyna said in a statement. “Others may have their opinions, but the voters will decide in 15 days.”
On Tuesday, the five Republican county chairs representing New York City issued a joint statement backing Sliwa’s decision to stay in the race.
The chairs made clear that the party’s base is firmly opposed to any alliance with Cuomo, whom many Republicans still associate with his years as a Democratic governor.