Conservatives on Staten Island Face Tough Decision in NYC Mayor's Race
As the mayoral election in New York City nears its end, Andrew Cuomo, an independent Democrat, is struggling to win over conservative voters. Despite initial reservations about supporting a Democrat, some Republicans have reluctantly backed Cuomo due to his potential as a spoiler against Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani.
For many Staten Island residents, the decision to vote for Cuomo was not taken lightly. Nick Ponzio, a 62-year-old retired preschool teacher, expressed his support for Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa despite having a personal connection with Sliwa's Guardian Angels past. Ponzio acknowledged that he couldn't in good conscience vote for Mamdani, whom he views as a communist.
Others have taken a more pragmatic approach, choosing to cast their ballots for Cuomo due to their disapproval of Mamdani's policies or Sliwa's lack of credibility. Valerie Scotto, a 63-year-old billing controller, stated that she couldn't support either candidate and thus voted for Cuomo.
Cuomo has attempted to sway conservative voters by framing the election as a choice between him and Mamdani. However, Republican leaders in the district have shown little enthusiasm for his campaign, with some acknowledging that Sliwa is the real contender. As a result, Cuomo's efforts to win over right-leaning voters may prove futile.
Sliwa has refused to concede, instead positioning himself as the front-runner in the election. His campaign strategist, Daniel Kurzyna, has accused Cuomo of trying to deceive voters by suggesting that they are foolish for supporting Sliwa.
As the final days of the campaign approach, it remains to be seen whether Cuomo can overcome his underdog status and win over enough conservative voters to make a difference in the election.
As the mayoral election in New York City nears its end, Andrew Cuomo, an independent Democrat, is struggling to win over conservative voters. Despite initial reservations about supporting a Democrat, some Republicans have reluctantly backed Cuomo due to his potential as a spoiler against Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani.
For many Staten Island residents, the decision to vote for Cuomo was not taken lightly. Nick Ponzio, a 62-year-old retired preschool teacher, expressed his support for Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa despite having a personal connection with Sliwa's Guardian Angels past. Ponzio acknowledged that he couldn't in good conscience vote for Mamdani, whom he views as a communist.
Others have taken a more pragmatic approach, choosing to cast their ballots for Cuomo due to their disapproval of Mamdani's policies or Sliwa's lack of credibility. Valerie Scotto, a 63-year-old billing controller, stated that she couldn't support either candidate and thus voted for Cuomo.
Cuomo has attempted to sway conservative voters by framing the election as a choice between him and Mamdani. However, Republican leaders in the district have shown little enthusiasm for his campaign, with some acknowledging that Sliwa is the real contender. As a result, Cuomo's efforts to win over right-leaning voters may prove futile.
Sliwa has refused to concede, instead positioning himself as the front-runner in the election. His campaign strategist, Daniel Kurzyna, has accused Cuomo of trying to deceive voters by suggesting that they are foolish for supporting Sliwa.
As the final days of the campaign approach, it remains to be seen whether Cuomo can overcome his underdog status and win over enough conservative voters to make a difference in the election.
. Like, he's trying to position himself as some sort of "centrist" candidate, but really he's just an independent Democrat who's trying to capitalize on people being apathetic about the other candidates. And don't even get me started on how Republican leaders are downplaying him – it's clear they're just using him as a placeholder until Sliwa wins out.
. like, how hard is it for Cuomo to just be genuine about not being a democrat? instead he's all "pick me over the 'bad guy'" which doesn't sit right with anyone 
. anyhoo, i'm just so over the whole "it's all about the moderates" narrative 
Either way, it's gonna be a wild ride till election day.
. We should be supporting Sliwa instead – at least he's got the guts to speak his mind and challenge the status quo 
.
️. Voting for a candidate you don't really agree with or feeling like you're stuck between two unappealing options is never easy 
. I want you to know that your concerns and doubts are valid and it's okay to take the time to think carefully about who you should support 
. Sometimes it feels like we're just going through the motions, but it's actually really brave to question ourselves and our choices 