New York Republican gubernatorial hopeful Andrew Giuliani, son of disgraced former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, hopes to use his unorthodox campaign tactics and famous last name to unseat incumbent governor Kathy Hochul.
Giuliani appeared outside of the New York Democratic State Convention alongside 2021 mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa, New York Young Republicans Club President Gavin Wax and Senate candidate Stefano Forte on Thursday, Feb. 17. Armed with homemade signs and a handful of staged supporters, the candidates spoke with limited members of the media and addressed constituents via livestream.
“The message we want to send today is very simple, Kathy Hochul, Hillary Clinton [are] bad for New York, bad for America,” Giuliani said.
The men joked that they did not receive an invitation to the Midtown Manhattan convention, which featured speaking appearances from over 40 elected officials and public figures including Gov. Kathy Hochul and Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY).
Instead, Giuliani, Sliwa, Forte and Wax took to the pavement, touting their conservative campaign platforms and attempting to draw attention from the convention taking place just steps away. However, the men failed to draw a crowd and relied on their online audience to bear witness to their emotionally charged conference.
“It’s not the Democratic State Convention, we should call it the ‘Nobel Convention’, the ‘Defund the Police Convention,’ the ‘Defund Prisons Conventions’, because almost everybody in there, they’re all partisan with that,” said Sliwa.
According to the latest poll data , Giuliani is neck-and-neck with rival Lee Zeldin. The two appear to be tied as Republican frontrunners, with the majority of Republican voters still undecided. But Hochul holds a 19 percent lead over Guiliani in the polls, according to the data.
New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Andrew Guiliani speaks with Fox News outside of the New York Democratic State Convention at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel on Thursday, Feb. 17. Photo by Julia Bonavita
A campaign staffer live streams Andrew Giuliani’s press conference, held outside of the New York Democratic State Convention on Thursday, Feb. 17. Photo by Julia Bonavita
A handmade sign reading “Hillary Bad 4 America, Bad 4 NY” is held behind Andrew Giuliani during his press conference outside of the NY Democratic State Convention on Thursday, Feb. 17. Photo by Julia Bonavita
New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Andrew Guiliani hosts a press conference with staged supporters holding handmade signs outside of the NY Democratic State Convention at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel on Thursday, Feb. 17. Photo by Julia Bonavita
New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Andrew Guiliani addresses supporter via livestream outside of the New York Democratic State Convention at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel on Thursday, Feb. 17. Photo by Julia Bonavita
A sign reads “New York, Giuliani, Governor 2022” during a press conference hosted by GOP gubernatorial hopeful Andrew Giuliani outside of the NY Democratic State Convention on Feb. 17, 2022. Photo by Julia Bonavita
Founder of the Guardian Angels and former NYC mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa speaks with members of the press while campaigning for Andrew Giuliani in Midtown Manhattan on Thursday, Feb. 17. Photo by Julia Bonavita
Andrew Giuliani and Curtis Sliwa shake hands while speaking to members of the media on Thursday, Feb. 17. Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, endorsed Guiliani’s bid for governor in December 2021 and has vowed to campaign for Giuliani throughout the election after his own failed mayoral candidacy. Photo by Julia Bonavita
