Vernikov Backs Cuomo in Mayoral Race, Calling Mamdani an ‘Existential Threat’

With one week until the NYC mayoral election, Republican City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov announced Tuesday night that she is withdrawing her endorsement of longtime ally and friend, Republican Curtis Sliwa and throwing her support behind independent candidate and former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Vernikov believes that he is the only person that can defeat Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani.

In an interview with Belaaz moments after the announcement, Vernikov, who represents the 48th District in Brooklyn, cast the move as a painful but necessary decision aimed squarely at preventing Mamdani, who has praised convicted Hamas supporters and has spoken about wanting to, quoting Karl Marx, “seize the means of production,” from winning City Hall.

The endorsement marks a difficult break for the councilwoman, who described Sliwa as a “loyal friend” who has “done a lot for the city and the Jewish community.”

Despite that personal loyalty, Vernikov insisted that political reality dictated the change. Speaking with Belaaz, Vernikov, when asked what ultimately made her switch from supporting Sliwa, replied: “This is not about any single individual. It’s not about Sliwa; it’s not about Cuomo. It’s about saving our city. It’s about saving the Jewish people from a Hamas-supporting, jihadi-sympathizing mayor, G-d forbid.”

She delivered sharp criticism for the Democratic nominee, slamming Mamdani as “anti-American, anti-Israel, anti-cop” and warning that he poses an “existential threat” to the city.

“As much as it hurts me to say this, a vote for Curtis Sliwa is a vote for Zohran Mamdani,” Vernikov said in a video shared with Belaaz.

Vernikov’s decision follows similar moves by other prominent right-of-center figures, including billionaire John Catsimatidis and 77 WABC host Sid Rosenberg, Sliwa’s own co-host. The growing defections suggest a consolidating effort among some conservatives who fear Sliwa and Cuomo will split the anti-Mamdani vote, allowing the progressive to win.

When asked by Belaaz at what point she realized Sliwa didn’t have a path to victory, Vernikov cited the data. “We look at the numbers… but most importantly, the math just isn’t there,” she explained. “He is consistently polling 11%, 13%, 17%. We’re seven days before the election, and he just hasn’t polled to a point where he can win.”

She maintained that her decision was not a personal slight against the Guardian Angels founder. “He’s a good person. I’m very grateful for everything he has done for the Jewish community, for the city,” she said, adding, “But unfortunately, this is not about him. It’s about saving our city.”

With early voting underway, Vernikov noted that turnout appears high in her district, which includes neighborhoods like Midwood and Sheepshead Bay. “Yesterday, one of my poll sites was the busiest poll site in New York City for early voting,” she told Belaaz. “That’s Council Center, off Quentin Road.”

Vernikov reiterated the stark choice she believes voters are facing.
“The guy we may not like is the only one who has a shot,” she said in her video statement. She expanded on this later on in the interview,, offering a final plea to voters on the fence: “I think that Cuomo has the momentum right now to defeat Mamdani… unfortunately, a vote for Curtis Sliwa is a vote for Zohran Mamdani. So I would just encourage everybody to vote for Andrew Cuomo to beat Mamdani.”

Sliwa had not responded publicly to Vernikov’s endorsement change by Tuesday evening.