Veteran Republican and Trump pollster Jim McLaughlin told Newsmax on Thursday that GOP mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa failed to mobilize President Donald Trump's base in New York City — a mistake that could hand the race to far-left democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani.
In an appearance on "The Chris Salcedo Show," McLaughlin said Sliwa's campaign lacked the kind of turnout strategy that Republican New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli has been using successfully in the Garden State.
"Curtis Sliwa should have taken the advice of Jack Ciattarelli," McLaughlin said. "Because what Ciattarelli has done in New Jersey is he's making it a point to get Trump voters out in these off-year elections."
McLaughlin said that the inability of GOP candidates to energize Trump loyalists has been a recurring problem in nonpresidential cycles, both in the midterms and local elections.
"It's about getting out these voters who only vote for Donald Trump and don't necessarily come out in these elections," he said. "And he's [Ciattarelli] looking to expand upon that."
Citing recent polling in the New York City mayoral race, McLaughlin said Sliwa was underperforming badly with his own base.
"One of the polls today shows Curtis Sliwa only getting 59% of the Republican vote, and just 45% of self-described conservatives," McLaughlin noted. "And no question — you have to get more than that."
McLaughlin pointed out that Trump received roughly one-third of the vote in New York City in 2024, demonstrating that a solid Republican coalition exists — but that Sliwa failed to give those voters a reason to show up.
"When you're not even getting your base, it just goes to show you he hasn't given voters a real reason to vote for him," McLaughlin said.
With just days to go before the election, McLaughlin said the polling suggests the race is all but over.
"Unfortunately, it looks like Zohran Mamdani's going to be the next mayor of New York City," he told Salcedo.
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