Bill Ackman Claims Sliwa Helps Democratic Socialist Mamdani Win New York Mayoral Race

Billionaire investor Bill Ackman is stepping up his commentary on New York’s mayoral race, saying Republican Curtis Sliwa’s refusal to exit has pushed Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani to a 90% chance of victory, according to prediction market data.

Ackman, the founder of Pershing Square Capital, argued that Sliwa remaining in the race helps Mamdani secure victory.

On Friday, Ackman released new Polymarket odds on X showing Mamdani near 90%, well ahead of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Sliwa.

“It wasn’t Zohran Mamdani’s performance in the debate. It was Curtis Sliwa’s post-debate statement that he wouldn’t leave that tipped the odds to 90% for Mamdani,” Ackman wrote on X.

Sliwa had said he would not give up after the last debate.

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Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa greets supporters as he arrives to participate in a town hall debate Thursday in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Ackman’s remarks mark a rare public foray by a high-profile investor into a local election. A Pershing Square spokesperson told Fox News Digital there was “no additional comment beyond Ackman’s posts.”

Ackman supported Cuomo’s independent candidacy and earlier in the week urged Sliwa to leave the race to give Cuomo “a better chance.”

Sliwa does not back down. His campaign, in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital, rejected the idea that Ackman or any other donor should influence the race.

“The billionaires will not decide the outcome, it will be the voters. It will be the people. Let the people decide,” said Maria Sliwa, spokesperson for the candidate.

“Cuomo lost the primary as a Democrat. He’s running as an independent. Curtis is on a major party line, as is Mamdani. If anything, it’s Cuomo who should drop out, not Curtis.”

She said Sliwa always planned to stay in the race to give Republicans a choice.

“This race will not be decided by millionaires, billionaires or professional politicians. It will be decided by voters on November 4.”

Sliwa’s refusal to leave the party became a flash point in the campaign. Ackman and others say a head-to-head matchup between Cuomo and Mamdani would be more competitive.

NEW POLL REVEALS MAMDANI’S LEAD SHALLS AS CUOMO GAINS GROUND IN NYC SHOWDOWN

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, left-wing independent candidate and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa participate in a debate at New York City Hall on Thursday. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, swimming pool)

Some polls suggest Cuomo could close the gap without Sliwa in the race. But Sliwa’s team and several analysts question whether his voters would support Cuomo.

Appearing Friday morning on “Sid and his friends in the morning” On WABC radio, Cuomo accused Sliwa of playing a spoiler role and warned Republicans that remaining loyal to Sliwa could hand the election to Mamdani.

“Curtis can’t win,” Cuomo said. “No Republican voted to put Curtis on the ballot. No Democrat voted to put Curtis on the ballot. He was chosen by the party leaders – the Republican county chairs – because he is a spoiler. And they want Mamdani to win.”

Cuomo argued that GOP leaders are supporting Sliwa for strategic reasons and not to win City Hall.

“They’ll take Mamdani and run him across the country saying, ‘Look how crazy this Democratic Party is – they elected a 33-year-old socialist who is anti-cop, anti-business, anti-Semitic.’ It will help them politically, but it will kill the city,” Cuomo said.

He added that voters who support Sliwa are indeed helping Mamdani.

“You vote for Curtis, save some time and vote for Mamdani,” Cuomo said. “He’s the Republican Party’s presidential nominee. And what Republicans are going to have to decide is whether partisan loyalty is more important than loyalty to the city.”

FOX NEWS POLL: Dissatisfied with New York’s leadership, voters favor MAMDANI for mayor by wide margin

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, left, speaks while participating in a town hall debate with democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani, right, and independent candidate and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (not pictured) Thursday in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, swimming pool)

Cuomo also attacked Mamdani’s public safety policies, warning: “You defund the police, you close Rikers — he’s talking about releasing 7,000 people from Rikers when it closes.” There are no new prisons. There will be a mass exodus from this city. It will never be the same again. »

The 2025 New York City mayoral race has attracted national attention. Mamdani, 33, is a socialist lawmaker from Queens who upset Cuomo in the Democratic primary. If elected, he will be the city’s first Muslim mayor and has the support of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.

Cuomo, 65, is running as an independent four years after resigning as governor. He is trying to present himself as a centrist who can beat Mamdani. Since Mayor Eric Adams resigned, Cuomo has gained ground in the polls.

Sliwa, 69, is best known for founding the Guardian Angels patrol group and built his campaign around issues of crime and quality of life. He won 27% of the vote in the 2021 mayoral race.

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Ackman’s involvement sparked renewed interest in Polymarket, a prediction site where users bet on political outcomes.

The contract for the New York mayoral race has already exceeded $190 million in transaction volume, one of the largest for a local election in the United States. Ackman’s publications fueled speculation and a surge in commercial activity.

Voters will go to the polls on November 4.

Polymarket did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.