NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A new poll released Monday shows that if Curtis Sliwa were to drop out, the race between front-runner Zohran Mamdani and runner-up Andrew Cuomo would be much closer.
If it were a head-to-head race between Cuomo and Mamdani, Mamdani would lead 44.6% to 40.7%, with nearly 15% undecided, according to the survey by AARP New York and Gotham Polling & Analytics.
The same survey found that Sliwa’s support would jump 10 points to 31.5% if Cuomo were to drop out.
The poll also found Mamdani has a commanding lead in the race overall, especially if it remains a three-man contest: Mamdani with 43.2% support, Cuomo with 28.9%, Sliwa with 19.4% and 8.4% of voters undecided.
Cuomo told 1010 WINS on Monday that Sliwa is not a viable candidate and that a vote for him is basically a vote for Mamdani.
“Nobody voted for Curtis Sliwa,” Cuomo said. “He’s on the ballot because the Republican chairman put him on the ballot.”
On Monday, Sliwa’s boss at 77 WABC radio, billionaire John Catsimatidis, put out a statement, saying, “Curtis should pull out right now.”
“We cannot take a chance on Zohran winning,” Catsimatidis said.
In response, Sliwa told CBS2, “He is free like every other New Yorker—no better, no worse—to support the candidate of his choice. We’ll let the people decide.”
As the pressure on him increases, Sliwa said, “I have support. I have 11 headquarters. I have volunteers everywhere. I don’t see any Cuomo signs. And plus I have a ‘get out the vote’ effort, which is what you need to win an election.”