Curtis Sliwa's boss becomes the latest Republican trying to push him out of NYC mayoral race

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN Politics

Updated Oct 20, 2025, 3:20 PM ET
PUBLISHED Oct 20, 2025, 12:58 PM ET


New York - Republican New York City mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa is facing renewed pressure to drop his bid for mayor – this time directly from his boss.

John Catsimatidis, the Republican supermarket magnate and lifelong New Yorker, took to the airwaves of WABC-AM, the radio station he owns and where Sliwa hosts a show, to call for him to drop out. “Look, I love Curtis; we’ve worked together a lot,” Catsimatidis said. “Curtis has to realize that he should love New York more than anything else, and it certainly looks like Curtis should pull out right now,” Catsimatidis added.

Catsimatidis and some other Republicans have rallied behind Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, in a bid to stop Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani from becoming mayor. Cuomo and his allies are pushing Sliwa to drop out after successfully getting Mayor Eric Adams to leave the race, arguing the former New York governor could then consolidate opposition to Mamdani, a democratic socialist.

Sliwa, who has worked for WABC radio for decades, has been on leave from the station since launching his bid for mayor, according to a release issued by Catsimatidis.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/20/politics/curtis-sliwa-nyc-mayoral-race

[ZZenith]

1. DON'T LISTEN TO HIM, CURTIS!!!

New York needs you now more than ever!

Stay in the race, you are our only hope!!!

[BumRushDaShow]

2. Guardian Angels

to the rescue!!!!111!!!11!!!

[NBachers]

3. I used to tune in to Cousin Brucie at night in my Western New York bedroom on WABC. What a shame it's now a Puke station

Turning the radio dial bit by bit and seeing what far-away stations I could pull in.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. My mom and me used to listen to WABC's line-up for years here in Philly

and aside from hearing Limpball's first show in a few years earlier (when he replaced Lynn Samuels, who used to have the noon slot), I remember when Sliwa was on the air during that period when they used to have "a liberal and a conservative" as co-hosts, and he was on with Ron Kuby for "Curtis and Kuby" (I think the 6 am - 9am slot)... and then later he had his ex-wife Lisa there as a co-host and I think she would also do fill-ins.

At night, they had a similar "liberal/conservative" programming choice " (John) Batchelor and (Paul) Alexander" (9 pm slot), although those 2 were very intellectual and informative.

[iemanja]

4. Republicans are lining up for Cuomo

That says all there is to know. Stand with Trump, vote Cuomo. Support Democrats, vote Mamdani.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Query: will Sliwa still have a job at WABC if he DOESN'T drop out?

His boss, Catsimatidis, is likely to blame him (unjustifiably) if/when Mamdani wins.