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Curtis Sliwa says he enters the final stages of the race for mayor of New York like “Braveheart” – confident, cocky and ready to die on his sword for the city he loves.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Sliwa, known for his tough-on-crime stance and outspoken rhetoric, compared himself to the legendary freedom fighter, saying he would continue to fight the Democratic nominee. Zogran Mamdani and his socialist allies no matter who wins on Tuesday.
The Guardian Angels founder said Mamdani's supporters, whom he called the “Zohranists” (a play on the Sandinista socialist movement in Nicaragua), would flee the city if their candidate lost, but he would stay and fight for New York.
“If I lose, I’ll get up and fight,” Sliwa said. “I’m improving, I’m not moving.”
I'M CURTIS PLUM. THIS IS WHY I WANT NEW YORK CITY TO VOTE FOR A MAYOR
Curtis Sliwa (left) and a scene from Braveheart (right) are shown in a split image. Sliwa compared himself to the film's hero, saying he “exudes confidence, strength and fight – just like Braveheart.” (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images; 20th Century-Fox/Getty Images)
“Zokhranists are already saying that they are ready to flee. The moment we capture the city, they all say that they will sell, run away and leave – and then we will rule this city.”
Sliwa then compared his determination to the climax of the 1995 historical epic Braveheart, in which Mel Gibson played Scottish warrior William Wallace, who led the fight for independence from England in the 13th century. During his execution, Wallace refused to beg for mercy or swear allegiance to the King of England, even as he was disemboweled.
“I exude confidence, strength and fight—like Braveheart,” Sliwa said. “Eventually they grabbed him, put him on a gurney, and the executioner said, 'You will bow to the King of England.' He looks at him and says, “Do your job.” Then they pierce him and disembowel him. It's me, Braveheart.”
“I will become the royal opposition. And oh my god, I'll become Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America – AOC [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] “I’ll be their worst nightmare because I’ll fight and fight and fight.” Republicans are not giving up, retreating, or running. Democrats do.”
Curtis Sliwa (right) and Rudy Giuliani (left) are pictured in separate photographs. Sliwa also compared himself to the former mayor of New York, calling himself “Rudy Giuliani 2.0.” (Edward Berthelot/Getty Images; David Di Delgado/Reuters)
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Sliwa said he was confident in his intention Election Daypointing to what he called an unprecedented mass operation.
“We have 13 campaign headquarters in five boroughs—no one has done this before,” he said. “We are everywhere. I can feel it—this city is ready for a real New Yorker again.”
Plum rejected the latter Fox News pollwhich showed his approval rating at 15%, with former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo up slightly to 31%, with Mamdani holding a significant lead at 47%.
He said the poll was not a true reflection of the pulse of the city because it showed Mamdani as the candidate best suited to fight crime.
“No one in their right mind would ever think that Zoran Mamdani is a law enforcement candidate. I am Rudy Giuliani 2.0,” Sliwa said. “That’s why polls don’t choose officials—the people will choose the next mayor.”
He said billionaire donors offered him $10 million to drop out of the race and said he now travels with armed guards after he and his wife received threats.
“I am the only true New Yorker of this race—born here, nearly died here, and I will die here,” Sliwa said. “They tried to incapacitate me once, but I’m still standing. I will fight until the very end.”
Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani accepts an endorsement from United Bodegas of America in the Bronx, New York on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. (Fox News Digital/Deirdre Heavey)
The 71-year-old Brooklyn native is known to have experienced gangster hit in 1992, when he was shot several times in a moving taxi before jumping out of the window. Prosecutors argued that the driver was a Gambino associate and that the attack was approved by family patriarch John Gotti Jr., who believed that Sliwa had criticized Gottis on his radio show. Gotti Jr. was later charged with ordering the attack, but was never convicted.
Cuomo was born in Queens, and Mamdani was born in Uganda.
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Sliwa positioned himself as a Republican populist among blue-collar voters as well as animal lovers, touting his independent “Save the Animals” voting line. New York State law allows candidates to appear on more than one ballot line, so Sliwa created it to highlight his animal rescue work and activism for cats, dogs and other animals.
“Win or lose, I will still be with people – on the streets, in the subway, with cats, with the cops. This is who I am.”
