Andrew Cuomo's Independent Bid Hinges on Staten Island Conservatives' Conscience.
Cuomo, the former Democratic Governor, has been making overt appeals to Republican and right-leaning voters in his bid for New York City mayor. However, many conservative voters are struggling with their choice between him and GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa.
For some, such as retired preschool teacher Nick Ponzio, Cuomo's past actions have earned their respect. When Ponzio was a teenager, he was protected by Guardian Angels members who intervened on his behalf. "I know he's not going to win," Ponzio said, "but I just can't go against my conscience." While some voters appreciate Cuomo's personal story, others are more pragmatic.
Valerie Scotto, 63, cited Cuomo's lack of alignment with her views as a reason for supporting Sliwa. On the other hand, Cuomo has won over some voters who see him as the lesser evil in a two-person race. For example, Doris Stapleton, 70, a retired speech pathologist, voted for Cuomo after listening to his final debate performance, citing her desire for experience and leadership.
However, not all supporters of Cuomo have come from unexpected places. Some have acknowledged that they're voting for him out of protest or because they don't want Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, to win.
Despite Cuomo's efforts to downplay Sliwa's chances, his campaign is struggling to gain traction with right-leaning voters. Meanwhile, Sliwa has maintained a strong following among conservatives, including several local Republican leaders and councilmembers.
Ultimately, Cuomo's bid for the mayoralty hinges on winning over Staten Island conservatives like Ponzio. With many voters still undecided or leaning towards Sliwa, it remains to be seen whether Cuomo will succeed in his pursuit of the NYC mayor's office.
Cuomo, the former Democratic Governor, has been making overt appeals to Republican and right-leaning voters in his bid for New York City mayor. However, many conservative voters are struggling with their choice between him and GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa.
For some, such as retired preschool teacher Nick Ponzio, Cuomo's past actions have earned their respect. When Ponzio was a teenager, he was protected by Guardian Angels members who intervened on his behalf. "I know he's not going to win," Ponzio said, "but I just can't go against my conscience." While some voters appreciate Cuomo's personal story, others are more pragmatic.
Valerie Scotto, 63, cited Cuomo's lack of alignment with her views as a reason for supporting Sliwa. On the other hand, Cuomo has won over some voters who see him as the lesser evil in a two-person race. For example, Doris Stapleton, 70, a retired speech pathologist, voted for Cuomo after listening to his final debate performance, citing her desire for experience and leadership.
However, not all supporters of Cuomo have come from unexpected places. Some have acknowledged that they're voting for him out of protest or because they don't want Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, to win.
Despite Cuomo's efforts to downplay Sliwa's chances, his campaign is struggling to gain traction with right-leaning voters. Meanwhile, Sliwa has maintained a strong following among conservatives, including several local Republican leaders and councilmembers.
Ultimately, Cuomo's bid for the mayoralty hinges on winning over Staten Island conservatives like Ponzio. With many voters still undecided or leaning towards Sliwa, it remains to be seen whether Cuomo will succeed in his pursuit of the NYC mayor's office.
. i mean, he's tryin to appeal 2 republicans & conservatives, but its just not stickin'. some ppl r like nick ponzio & r thinkin "hey, he may not b da best choice, but hes better dan mamdani". but then theres others like valerie scotto who r all "no way, cuomo's not da man". 
and what's up wit all these ppl votin 4 him cuz they dont wanna see another dem in office? thats just not right 
. i guess watever happens, its gonna b interesting 2 watch 
... I mean, who wouldn't want to see a Republican and a Democrat team up just to make the other party look bad? 
But seriously, it shows how divided we are as a society. Like, some people are gonna vote for Cuomo because they feel like he's the lesser of two evils, but others are gonna stick with Sliwa because... well, reasons. It's all about finding that balance between experience and ideology, you know? 
I think it's really interesting to see how Cuomo is trying to appeal to both sides, but at the same time, I don't blame anyone for being skeptical. 
️ #NYCMayorRace #CuomoVsSliwa
#LeadershipMatters #ChangeNYC
#ConscienceOverPartyLines #RespectForAll
. But what really gets me is that some of Cuomo's supporters are only voting for him because they don't want Mamdani to win... it feels like a game of "you're the lesser evil" 
. And what about all those conservatives who were initially swayed by Sliwa, but then started to waver? It's like Cuomo's campaign is playing a high-stakes game of political chess with uncertain moves 
. Can he really win over Staten Island conservatives and take down Mamdani? Only time will tell...
. I mean, who tries to win over conservatives by pointing out how good they're gonna be? Sounds like he's more worried about losing than actually winning 
. And what's with all these voters who are voting for him just 'cause they don't want the other guy to win? That's not really a victory, is it? 
! I mean, can you believe that a former Democrat is trying to win over Republicans? It's like they're from different planets! I'm fascinated by how people are making these tough decisions based on their conscience and not just party loyalty. 
. I'll be keeping an eye on how this plays out, but for now, I'm still skeptical 
. Newsflash: you're a Democrat and that's not going to change who you are. I'm still holding out for Curtis Sliwa, at least he's being honest about his views 
. But honestly, who cares which one of them wins? New York City is so over-politicized it's like they're speaking a different language 
Andrew cuomo's trying 2 win over staten island conservatives w/ his past but some ppl are still on team sliwa 
still rooting for cuomo tho 
. I mean, some people like Ponzio are already sold on him but others are clearly still swayed by Sliwa's whole "tough guy" vibe 
.
. One thing's for sure, Sliwa's got a dedicated crew and Cuomo needs to win over some big fish in that community if he wants to take it all 
. I'm just gonna keep watching the polls and seeing what unfolds 
Like, he's been a total Dem his whole career, so why now play the "I'm for everyone" card? 
And don't even get me started on the whole Guardian Angels thing... that's just too convenient 
. I guess only time will tell if he can pull it off and actually win over some of those Staten Island conservatives 
. But at the end of the day, it's all about who can connect with those Staten Island conservatives on a personal level 
. Maybe Cuomo's past actions and his willingness to listen to different perspectives will make all the difference