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Curtis Sliwa says he’s charging into the final stretch of New York City’s mayoral race like “Braveheart” — confident, defiant 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 positions and plainspoken rhetoric, compared himself to the legendary freedom fighter, saying he’ll keep battling Democrat nominee Zohran Mamdani and his socialist allies regardless of who wins on Tuesday.
The Guardian Angels founder said Mamdani’s supporters — whom he labeled “Zohranistas,” a play on the Sandinista socialist movement in Nicaragua — will flee the city if their candidate loses, but he’ll stay and fight for New York.
“If I should lose, I stand and fight,” Sliwa said. “I improve, I don’t move.”
I’M CURTIS SLIWA. THIS IS WHY I WANT NEW YORK CITY’S VOTE FOR MAYOR
Curtis Sliwa (left) and a scene from the film Braveheart (right) are shown in a split image. Sliwa compared himself to the movie’s hero, saying he “exudes confidence, strength, fight — like ‘Braveheart.’” (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images; 20th Century-Fox/Getty Images)
“The Zohranistas are already saying they’re ready to flee. The moment we take over the city, they’re all saying they’re gonna sell, run and leave — and then we will run this city.”
Sliwa then compared his resolve to the climax of “Braveheart,” the 1995 historical epic starring Mel Gibson as Scottish warrior William Wallace, who led the fight for independence from England in the 13th century. At his execution, Wallace refused to beg for mercy or pledge loyalty to the king of England, even while being disemboweled.
“I exude confidence, strength, fight — like Braveheart,” Sliwa said. “At the end, they capture him, they’ve got him on the gurney and the executioner says, ‘You will bow to the King of England.’ He looks at him and says, ‘Do your job.’ Then they impale him, they gut him out. That’s me — Braveheart.”
“I become the royal opposition. And boy, I will become Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America — AOC [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] — I will become their worst nightmare because I will fight, fight, fight. Republicans don’t surrender, retreat and run. Democrats do.”
Curtis Sliwa (right) and Rudy Giuliani (left) are pictured in separate file photos. Sliwa has also compared himself to the former New York City mayor, calling himself “Rudy Giuliani 2.0.” (Edward Berthelot/Getty Images; David Dee Delgado/Reuters)
DAVID MARCUS: IT’S NOT CURTIS SLIWA’S JOB TO SAVE THE DEMOCRAT PARTY FROM ITSELF
Sliwa said he’s confident heading into Election Day, pointing to what he called an unprecedented grassroots operation.
“We’ve got 13 campaign headquarters across the five boroughs — nobody’s ever done that before,” he said. “We’re everywhere. I can feel it — this city’s ready for a real New Yorker again.”
Sliwa dismissed the latest Fox News poll, which showed him at 15% and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo rising slightly to 31%, with Mamdani holding a substantial lead at 47%.
He said the poll wasn’t a true reflection of the city’s pulse since it showed Mamdani as the candidate best suited to handle crime.
“Nobody in their right mind would ever consider that Zohran Mamdani is the law-and-order candidate. I am Rudy Giuliani 2.0,” Sliwa said. “That’s why polls don’t elect officials — the people will elect the next mayor.”
He said billionaire donors offered him $10 million to quit the race and claimed he now travels with armed security after threats were made against him and his wife.
“I’m the only real New Yorker in this race — born here, nearly killed here, and I’ll die here,” Sliwa said. “They tried to take me out once, but I’m still standing. I’ll fight to the very end.”
New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani accepts an endorsement from the United Bodegas of America in the Bronx, New York City, on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (Fox News Digital/Deirdre Heavey)
The Brooklyn-born 71-year-old famously survived a mob hit in 1992, when he was shot multiple times inside a moving taxi before jumping out through a window. Prosecutors alleged the driver was a Gambino associate and that the attack was approved by the head of the family, John Gotti Jr., who believed Sliwa had been criticizing the Gottis on his radio show. Gotti Jr. was later indicted for ordering the attack but was never convicted.
Cuomo was born in Queens, while Mamdani was born in Uganda.
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Sliwa has framed himself as a Republican populist for blue-collar voters as well as animal lovers, touting his independent Save the Animals ballot line. New York law lets candidates appear on more than one ballot line, so Sliwa created it to highlight his animal rescue work and activism in protecting cats, dogs and other animals.
“Win or lose, I’ll still be out there with the people — in the streets, in the subways, with the cats, with the cops. That’s who I am.”
