As Staten Island residents cast their ballots in the final days of the mayoral race, a complex calculus was at play. For many conservative voters, the decision came down to two candidates: Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa.
While some registered Republicans like Nick Ponzio, 62, refused to support Sliwa, citing his connection to the Guardian Angels, a group that had helped him as a teenager, others found themselves drawn to the GOP nominee. However, their reluctance was tempered by a desire to prevent Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani from winning.
Valerie Scotto, 63, a billing controller for a law firm, simply stated she didn't agree with Mamdani's policies and saw Cuomo as a more palatable option. Others, like Frank Morano, a Republican councilman, were enthusiastic about Sliwa's campaign, citing his ability to galvanize voters who might not typically participate in local elections.
Yet, despite the GOP nominee's popularity among some conservative voters, it was clear that many saw him as a spoiler. For instance, John Cassidy, 62, a retired NYPD detective who now drives a school bus, described Sliwa as "100% my guy," but acknowledged that Cuomo was his lesser of two evils.
Others, like Bob Finelli, 62, a retired technology manager, were swayed by Cuomo's experience and reputation. His father, the late Gov. Mario Cuomo, had served three terms leading New York state.
Despite Sliwa's refusal to concede ground, the Cuomo campaign acknowledged that the GOP nominee was making it harder for their candidate to catch Mamdani. In a statement, Rich Azzopardi, Cuomo's spokesperson, said the campaign was running "right to the tape," emphasizing the need to prevent Mamdani from winning.
Sliwa's own team responded by accusing Cuomo of gaslighting voters into supporting him and perpetuating a false narrative that Sliwa would lose. Daniel Kurzyna, Sliwa's spokesperson, declared that the GOP nominee was poised for victory.
Ultimately, as Staten Island voters cast their ballots, they were navigating this complex decision with many factors at play: loyalty to party affiliations, personal experiences, and policy differences between the candidates.
While some registered Republicans like Nick Ponzio, 62, refused to support Sliwa, citing his connection to the Guardian Angels, a group that had helped him as a teenager, others found themselves drawn to the GOP nominee. However, their reluctance was tempered by a desire to prevent Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani from winning.
Valerie Scotto, 63, a billing controller for a law firm, simply stated she didn't agree with Mamdani's policies and saw Cuomo as a more palatable option. Others, like Frank Morano, a Republican councilman, were enthusiastic about Sliwa's campaign, citing his ability to galvanize voters who might not typically participate in local elections.
Yet, despite the GOP nominee's popularity among some conservative voters, it was clear that many saw him as a spoiler. For instance, John Cassidy, 62, a retired NYPD detective who now drives a school bus, described Sliwa as "100% my guy," but acknowledged that Cuomo was his lesser of two evils.
Others, like Bob Finelli, 62, a retired technology manager, were swayed by Cuomo's experience and reputation. His father, the late Gov. Mario Cuomo, had served three terms leading New York state.
Despite Sliwa's refusal to concede ground, the Cuomo campaign acknowledged that the GOP nominee was making it harder for their candidate to catch Mamdani. In a statement, Rich Azzopardi, Cuomo's spokesperson, said the campaign was running "right to the tape," emphasizing the need to prevent Mamdani from winning.
Sliwa's own team responded by accusing Cuomo of gaslighting voters into supporting him and perpetuating a false narrative that Sliwa would lose. Daniel Kurzyna, Sliwa's spokesperson, declared that the GOP nominee was poised for victory.
Ultimately, as Staten Island voters cast their ballots, they were navigating this complex decision with many factors at play: loyalty to party affiliations, personal experiences, and policy differences between the candidates.
. On one hand, you've got people like John Cassidy who are super into him because he's a "regular guy" type, but on the other hand, they're still gonna tell you that Cuomo is their better bet just to block Mamdani from winning 
. It's all about politics and pragmatism, I guess. I mean, Sliwa's campaign has definitely been successful at getting people excited about voting in local elections, which is awesome 
. But at the end of the day, it looks like Cuomo's experience and reputation are what's driving most of the votes for him 
.
They're always so messy. Anyway, back to Sliwa vs Cuomo. I mean, it's clear that Sliwa has a strong following in Staten Island, especially among conservative voters who feel he's more relatable and authentic. But at the same time, his campaign is also super divisive - people love him one minute, hate him the next. 
. And don't even get me started on the gaslighting accusations... honestly, can't we just have one campaign that tells the truth and leaves everyone else to their own devices? 
- we need a mayor who's actually gonna listen to the people, not just play politics. I mean, what's with all these voters trying to choose between two decent folks when there are so many other issues going on in this city? It's like they're stuck in some kind of ideological bubble 
. Newsflash: Sliwa might be charismatic, but can he actually get stuff done? Cuomo might have the experience, but has he ever tried anything innovative? Let's just hope one of them brings some real change to Staten Island 
. So like, it seems that Staten Islanders are having a tough time deciding between Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, right? And honestly, I think they're all kinda lucky to have someone else in the mix - Zohran Mamdani's policies sound super out there for me 
.
. What do you guys think? Should I stay up all night to watch this play out or just let the votes count? 
It's all about the calculus, right? Do you support Sliwa's unconventional style or Cuomo's traditional approach? 
, but at the same time, his lack of experience is a major red flag 
. Cuomo's got the credentials and the reputation to back him up 
, but Sliwa's got some serious momentum building behind him 
. It's all about who the voters want to represent their island home 
, and it's gonna be a real nail-biter until the final results come in 
. Can't wait to see what happens next! 
. It seems like Sliwa's campaign is really confusing people in Staten Island 
I get that it's a complex calculus but can't we just have a clear candidate who everyone agrees is good for the city? 