Giuliani Allies Abandon Sliwa and Back Cuomo for NYC Mayor

In a dramatic turn in the New York City mayoral race, longtime allies of Rudy Giuliani are turning their backs on Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and throwing their support behind none other than Andrew Cuomo. While eyebrows are understandably raised at the idea of backing a Democrat, insiders argue it's a strategic play to stop the far-left from seizing control of America’s largest city.

Giuliani's former deputy mayor, Joe Lhota, made the move public this week, calling the choice “obvious.”

“It’s a choice between a proven manager, a socialist, and a fruit loop,” Lhota said bluntly. “Of course I’m going to be with Andrew.”

Lhota who once ran for mayor as a Republican but now identifies as a Democrat—served as Cuomo’s MTA chairman and remains a powerful voice in NYC political circles. And he's not alone.

• Anthony Carbonetti, Giuliani’s former chief of staff, praised Sliwa’s passion but warned he doesn’t have the numbers to win, calling him a potential spoiler who could hand victory to radical socialist Zohran Mamdani.

• Michael Mukasey, former U.S. Attorney General under George W. Bush and a Giuliani confidant, endorsed Cuomo in a recent op-ed, warning that electing Mamdani would mean "irreversible damage" to New York City.

This unofficial conservative alignment with Cuomo might seem jarring, but the real goal is simple: stop Mamdani, a self-described socialist, from gaining power over a $116 billion budget and turning NYC into a progressive playground of free-fare transit, out-of-control spending, and woke policies.

Mamdani’s proposal for fare-free buses has already drawn criticism, with Carbonetti warning it would turn MTA buses into “mobile homeless shelters.” The fear isn’t unfounded New York already suffers from a record-high homeless population, and billions wasted on “housing-first” programs that have failed to deliver results.

Meanwhile, Curtis Sliwa’s campaign continues to flounder, with no sign of meaningful traction. President Donald Trump himself dealt a blunt blow to Sliwa’s credibility last month on Fox & Friends, saying: “Look, I’m a Republican, but Curtis is not exactly prime time.”

That’s about as clear as it gets.

And while Giuliani himself has yet to make an endorsement, the writing is on the wall. His inner circle sees the numbers, they see the stakes, and they’re choosing the only viable option to prevent New York from sliding further into chaos.

Polls show Mamdani leading by roughly 20 points but still under 50% meaning if Republicans, independents, and moderate Democrats unite behind Cuomo, an upset is still possible.

This isn’t about party purity. It’s about saving New York.

When even diehard Republicans are willing to back Cuomo to keep the radical left at bay, you know how dangerous the alternative truly is.

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