Republican Curtis Sliwa is now picking up the pace in his run for mayor.

While his opponents have travelled in recent days from the Hamptons to Uganda, Sliwa says he’s been focused on connecting with voters right here in the five boroughs.

“I do my campaigning on the subway. You never see them in the subway other than for a photo opportunity,” Sliwa said during a press conference Monday. “How can they be mayor when they spend all their time in other places?”

Despite public pressure for some of the candidates to drop out of the race, Sliwa says he’s not going anywhere.

He first stepped into New York City public life in the late 1970s when he founded a volunteer public safety patrol, the Guardian Angels.

Despite his public commitment to subway safety, over the last few decades Sliwa’s also been no stranger to controversy — from run-ins with the Gotti family to fabricating some crimes the angels claims to have foiled.

After years as an outspoken radio host, in 2021, Sliwa stepped into politics. He and Eric Adams faced off in the general election for mayor.

While Adams overwhelmingly won in 2021, Sliwa still picked up 28% of the vote.  

With a crowded field in the race for mayor this year, including a Democratic nominee and two Democrats running as independents, Sliwa sees an opening.  

“It’s neck and neck between Mamdani, Cuomo, Sliwa and Eric Adams. He’s so far down he can’t compete,” he said.

And while Republican President Donald Trump has weighed in on the race for mayor several times, Sliwa told NY1 he’s not looking for a Trump endorsement.

“I respect the president, but I think in a place like New York City, he has oftentimes said maybe he should stay out of it,” he said.