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Two longtime New York City fixtures are enmeshed in a hotly contested primary fight for the Republican nomination in the race to succeed Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat.

A poll released last week by WPIX-Channel 11, NewsNation and Emerson College showed Curtis Sliwa, founder of the crime-prevention group Guardian Angels, ahead of Fernando Mateo, a politically connected entrepreneur and longtime advocate for taxi drivers and bodega owners, by 33% to 27%, with 40% of thoseRepublican registered voters who were polled still undecided.

Despite its closeness, the June 22 Republican primary between the former friends turned foes hasnt garnered much public attention. Democratic voters outnumber Republicans citywide by more than 6 to 1.

The lack of competitiveness in political races over the past decade spurred a voter-outreach effort earlier this year to get Republican and independent voters to re-enroll as Democrats so they can have a say in the primary race that will likely decide the next mayor. During the outreach, Democrats saw a net gain of nearly 12,000 registered voters, according to the citys Board of Elections.

Still, both Republicans insist they can win the general election. They said they think enough votersespecially moderate Democratswill vote across party lines because of the crime surge that has plagued the city since the Covid-19 pandemic struck last year.

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New York Republicans Hope Public Safety Will Give Them Edge in Mayoral Race - The Wall Street Journal