NYC Mayoral Bid Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate for New York City mayor, dramatically resigned from his radio show at 77 WABC on Wednesday during a heated on-air confrontation with host Sid Rosenberg, vowing never to return to the station’s studios.
The outburst followed pressure from Rosenberg and station owner John Catsimatidis, who urged Sliwa to abandon his longshot mayoral campaign to bolster independent candidate, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, against Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani.Sliwa accused WABC colleagues of betraying him and favoring Cuomo, raging, “They have said I’m selfish. Selfish? Are you out of your mind?”
He expressed deep offense at personal attacks from station staff, many of whom he claimed owed their jobs to him, stating, “I know there are people there at WABC who are personally attacking me, saying I’m running a lazy campaign.” Sliwa declared, “You will never see me at the studios of WABC again, never, no matter how this election turns out.”
Curtis Sliwa quit his WABC radio gig after he and Sid Rosenberg got into a heated clash over the state of his campaign.
— Zachary Leeman (@WritingLeeman) October 22, 2025
"You're going to lose and you're going to lose badly."
Sliwa declared during the fight that WABC "turned" on him like a scene out of The Godfather. pic.twitter.com/K1gDh3hQrg
Catsimatidis, a billionaire businessman and Gristedes supermarket chain owner, acknowledged Sliwa’s potential as mayor but insisted he had no chance of defeating Mamdani, intensifying calls for Sliwa to withdraw. However, GOP chairs across New York City’s five boroughs, including Catsimatidis’ daughter, Manhattan chair Andrea Catsimatidis, reaffirmed their support for Sliwa’s candidacy.
Sliwa’s radio program, The Curtis Sliwa Show, has been on hiatus during his campaign, which centers on his role as the founder of the Guardian Angels. The fiery exchange with Rosenberg provided a dramatic moment for listeners, highlighting tensions within the station and the broader political landscape as Sliwa resists pressure to exit the race.