In a city renowned for its political complexity and vibrant diversity, the 2025 New York City mayoral race is shaping up to be one of the most contentious and unpredictable contests in recent memory. The race, which will be decided in November, features a crowded field: Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, Republican challenger Curtis Sliwa, former Governor Andrew Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams—both running as independents—and former federal prosecutor Jim Walden, also running independently.
At the heart of the contest is Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist lawmaker from Queens. According to Fox News Digital, Mamdani stunned political observers in June by defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo and nine other contenders to clinch the Democratic Party’s mayoral nomination. If victorious, Mamdani would make history as both the first Muslim and the first millennial to serve as mayor of the nation’s largest city.
But the path to City Hall is anything but straightforward. Despite his Democratic nomination, Mamdani faces not only the Republican Sliwa but also two formidable independent candidates: Cuomo, whose political career was rocked by scandal in 2021, and Adams, the sitting mayor. Recent polls, as reported by Fox News Digital, show Mamdani holding a double-digit lead over Cuomo and the other contenders, yet the crowded field keeps the outcome far from certain.
For Curtis Sliwa, this election is a personal mission. "I've got to beat Zohran Mamdani to save this city," Sliwa declared in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. Sliwa, well-known for founding the Guardian Angels—a volunteer crime-prevention group that patrolled New York’s subways in the 1970s and 1980s—brings a unique blend of streetwise activism and media savvy to his second consecutive mayoral campaign.
Sliwa is quick to frame the race as a battle of values. "Zohran is the Democratic nominee, but there are two other Democrats in this race, well-known Democrats, Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo, and they are Zohran light because they actually agree more times on issues than disagree," he argued. Positioning himself as the only candidate with "Republican values," Sliwa is determined to present a clear alternative in a city where GOP victories are rare.
Adding another twist, Jim Walden, a former federal prosecutor, has suggested a strategy to consolidate the anti-Mamdani vote. Earlier this summer, Walden proposed that an independent survey be conducted in September to determine which candidate has the best chance of defeating Mamdani, with the other challengers agreeing to withdraw. According to Fox News Digital, Cuomo has partially embraced this idea, but Adams and Sliwa have declined to participate. Sliwa was unequivocal: "I'm not dropping out. I'm a major party candidate. Let the independents play musical chairs and decide who to drop out."
Meanwhile, the campaign has not been without controversy. On August 20, 2025, The Canary published an article alleging that Mayor Eric Adams launched Islamophobic and racist attacks against Mamdani, further inflaming tensions in an already heated race. The report highlights the fraught relationship between Adams and Mamdani, both of whom have deep roots in the city’s Democratic establishment but now find themselves on opposite sides of a bitter contest.
The national spotlight has also turned toward the race, with former President Donald Trump’s influence looming in the background. Sliwa, who has a well-documented "love-hate relationship" with Trump, told Fox News Digital, "No, I haven't had any conversations with President Donald Trump, who I've known over the years. We've had a love-hate relationship. Everybody knows that." Trump and other Republicans have labeled Mamdani a "communist," part of a broader GOP strategy to paint Democrats as extremists nationwide.
Yet Sliwa has called on Trump to stay out of the race, urging him to "be Switzerland, be neutral." He even suggested that Trump’s efforts would be better spent promoting peace in the ongoing Gaza conflict between Israel and Hamas. "I think the way the president can best help in this campaign is to try to bring peace to the Gaza between Israel and Hamas, because every day the war rages there is a good day for Zohran Mamdani. Because of the videos we see, the photographs, it's having an impact on people here in the city of New York," Sliwa said. His comments underscore the global context that often shapes local politics in New York, a city with large and politically engaged Jewish and Muslim communities.
Adding further intrigue, The New York Times reported in August that Trump and Cuomo had discussed the mayoral race during a phone call—a conversation Cuomo has flatly denied. Sliwa, for his part, downplayed the significance of Trump’s relationships with other candidates, saying, "I do understand that [Trump] has a relationship with Andrew Cuomo that spans the years, and he kept Eric Adams from going to jail, so he's communicated with them, which is fine, fine by me." Earlier this year, the Justice Department dismissed federal corruption charges against Adams, clearing a major hurdle for the incumbent mayor but raising questions about political alliances.
For Sliwa, the campaign is not just about policy but also about symbolism. He is famous for his trademark red beret—a nod to his decades-long leadership of the Guardian Angels. However, as he explained to Fox News Digital, he has started to remove the beret in certain settings. "It's a bifurcated Curtis Sliwa. When I'm in the subway, like I'll be in a few hours, where I do the bulk of my campaigning with average everyday people… or I'm in the streets, I'm going to wear the beret. It's in honor of six Guardian Angels killed in the line of duty, three dozen seriously injured over 46 years of volunteer service here and all over the world. But I do realize amongst the corporate people who make determinations, they feel more comfortable when I take my beret off."
As the campaign enters its final months, the stakes could hardly be higher. With Mamdani holding a polling advantage but facing a fractured opposition and allegations of bigotry swirling around the incumbent, the race is a microcosm of the broader debates roiling American politics: identity, ideology, and the future of urban governance. The outcome will not only determine who leads New York City but may also signal the direction of political winds far beyond the five boroughs.
With passions running high and every candidate vying to define the city’s future, New Yorkers—and the nation—are watching closely to see who will emerge victorious in this historic contest.
