Red beret-wearing Republican Curtis Sliwa likes his chances in a crowded NYC mayor's race

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New York City mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa is interviewed in a subway entrance as he campaigns, in New York, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NEW YORK – Curtis Sliwa , the colorful creator of New York City's Guardian Angels anti-crime patrol group, ran for mayor four years ago and wound up losing to Democrat Eric Adams by almost 40 percentage points.

This time around, the red beret-wearing Republican believes the math may be more in his favor.

Even in an overwhelmingly blue city, the 71-year-old hopes that with three polarizing candidates splitting the Democratic vote, he can maintain the support he secured last time while picking up backers from the other side of the aisle with his message that he's bes