Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa on Tuesday won the Republican primary for the New York mayoral race by a large margin over Fernando Mateo.
The primary results show Sliwa with 71.9 percent of the votes, or 24,457. Mateo received 28.1 percent of the votes. In his victory speech, Sliwa described himself as a pro-police populist and promised to support the police against criminals, according to an MSN report.
“I am the man who relates to the average people in this city – the homeless, the emotionally disturbed, those who have been forgotten,” he said.
Sliwa will likely face Eric Adams, the president of the Brooklyn Borough and the lead in the Democratic primary. The winner of the general election will succeed Mayor Bill de Blasio. New York is becoming more Democratic and Sliwa is expecting a tough race in November. He has promised to compete hard and represent all New Yorkers, even animals. Sliwa says he has 15 rescue cats in his apartment.
During his campaign, Sliwa promised to re-fund the police division by restoring about $1 billion that the town council had moved from the police to schools and social providers.
Sliwa, 67, as a young man saw the extensive crime in New York and decided he needed to do something about it. He became the leader of a group of dedicated volunteers who wanted to fight crime. They would ride the subways of New York and protect law abiding citizens.
They became known as “Guardian Angels” and won support from New Yorkers. They wear distinctive Red Berets and operate under the motto “we dare to care.” The Guardian Angels have chapters in more than 100 cities, according to the organization's website.
Sliwa and Mateo were friends but during the campaign shouted at each other and exchanged personal insults. Sliwa, a radio host who wears his red Guardian Angels beret when he appears in public, received an endorsement from former Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
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