Ex-Gov. Pataki predicts Curtis Sliwa can win NYC mayor race, all because of the Dem slate
Former three-term GOP Gov. George Pataki claims Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa has a chance to win City Hall, given how far the Democrats have veered left or have been tainted by scandal.
'This is the weakest Democratic field ever,' Pataki told The Post.
He said Sliwa, 71, the Guardian Angels founder, will have enough financial resources to run a competitive campaign and attract independents and disgruntled Democrats as well as Republicans.
3 Ex-Gov. George Pataki said he believes Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa, 71, has a shot to become the next mayor of New York City.
AP
'Curtis knows the city better than anyone else. He knows the neighborhoods better than anyone else. He knows the subways better than anyone else,' Pataki said.
Pataki is headlining a campaign fundraiser for Sliwa on June 26 at Fushimi Times Square — two days after the crowded Democratic Party primary.
The event is co-hosted by state Republican Party chairman Ed Cox and the NYGOP Asian Caucus. Donations run from $250 to $2,100 for the Sliwa campaign.
Sliwa is trying to prevent incumbent Mayor Eric Adams — who skipped the Democratic primary to run as a longshot independent — from siphoning Republican support in the general election, a GOP insider said.
Adams is seeking re-election on an independent line after skipping the Democratic primary.
3 Pataki says that with the weak field of Democratic candidates and Sliwa's experience in the city, he will gain enough financial traction to run a tough campaign.
Michael McWeeney
Pataki said Sliwa has the experience and credibility through his volunteer patrols with the Guardian Angels to address public safety and vexing problems such as homelessness and aiding the mentally ill.
The bottom line, Pataki said, is that the city was best run in modern times by Republican Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Mike Bloomberg.
'Bloomberg and Giuliani were the best mayors in the last 50 years. They were Republicans,' Pataki said.
3 Pataki also told The Post that if Zohran Mamdani is the Democratic nominee for mayor, he could see mainstream Democrats defect toward Sliwa, given how far left the young mayoral hopeful is.
Pool/ABACA/Shutterstock
If Democratic frontrunner Andrew Cuomo wins the primary, he will have to face a broad electorate that might not look as kindly on the sexual misconduct accusations that forced his resignation from the governorship, and other flaws in his record, Pataki said.
Cuomo denies the harassment claims.
And many mainstream Democrats might defect to Sliwa if far left socialist Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani wins the primary and is the Democratic nominee, Pataki said.
Incumbent Adams has also been mired in scandal, though the federal corruption charges filed against him were dropped after President Trump took office.
'It's almost impossible for a candidate on an independent line to get elected,' Pataki said.
Pataki, 79, was first elected governor by toppling former three-term Democratic Gov. Mario Cuomo in 1994, the late father of Andrew Cuomo.
He's the last Republican to win statewide office.
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