Red, White, and Ready: GOP Candidates Curtis Sliwa, Alina Bonsell, Michael Henry, and Janine Acquafredda Electrify Puerto Rican Day Parade Float

NEW YORK, NY /PRNewswire/ — The 68th Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade, held on Sunday June 8, 2025 was not only a vibrant display of culture and heritage — it also became a powerful stage for the Republican movement gaining ground across the city. This year’s most talked-about float featured four standout candidates who are reshaping the conversation around local leadership: Curtis Sliwa, Michael Henry, Alina Bonsell, and Janine Acquafredda. Together, they sent a unified message to the voters of New York: Republican voices are here, they’re credible, and they’re ready to lead.

WATCH: GOP Candidates Sliwa, Bonsell, Henry, Acquafredda Electrify Puerto Rican Day Parade Float

Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels and the people’s candidate for mayor, led the float with his trademark grit and independence. Sliwa remains a threat to establishment politicians precisely because he can’t be bought. He says what others won’t, does what others fear, and has become a voice for every New Yorker who feels ignored by political elites.

Positioned at the front of the Republican float, beside Curtis Sliwa, was Alina Bonsell, the Republican candidate on the general election ballot for City Council District 5, running against Democratic incumbent Julie Menin, who is seeking reelection to a second term. Bonsell is a moderate Republican who grew up in New York City and has lived in Manhattan for over 20 years. She has emerged as a serious and credible alternative. Her campaign focuses on restoring transparency, accountability, and practical solutions to city government — a platform that contrasts sharply with Menin’s legislative record and policy choices. While Menin often highlights her “20 years of experience,” her tenure has coincided with rising commercial rents, the closure of long-standing small businesses, and an affordability crisis that continues to displace middle-class families. Bonsell’s platform centers on small business protections, parental rights, and pragmatic reforms aimed at improving quality of life for residents across District 5.

One of the most telling examples is Menin’s role as Chair of the City Council’s Small Business Committee in 2021, a position she was appointed to by then-Mayor Bill de Blasio. That year, the Council considered the Small Business Jobs Survival Act — one of the most comprehensive commercial tenant protection bills introduced in decades. The bill, which had majority support among Council Members, would have granted small business owners the right to renew 10-year leases and negotiate fair terms with landlords. Despite its public backing and legislative support, Menin refused to hold even a single hearing. She let the bill die — knowing full well that if business owners and voters were given the chance to compare her developer-friendly record with the protections the bill offered, they would side against her. As a result, for the first time in over 36 years, New York City has no legislation granting commercial tenants any rights when their leases expire. While thousands of small businesses continue to close across the city, those protections were never allowed to move forward under her watch. Why would a sitting chairwoman of the Small Business Committee block a bill with majority support and clear public backing? There’s never been a clear explanation — though it’s worth noting that Menin is married to real estate developer Bruce Menin.

Bonsell, by contrast, has made protecting small businesses and working families a cornerstone of her campaign. She has emphasized that voters are tired of politicians who say one thing and do another — especially when policies fail to match promises. One example is the so-called “Fair Act,” which eliminated the ability of working-class realtors and leasing agents to collect broker commissions from landlords. Agents went from earning 100% to 0%, effectively gutting the incomes of those helping keep the city’s housing market moving. Julie Menin voted in favor of the act, a move critics say further deepened the city’s affordability crisis under the guise of tenant protection.

That same issue also propelled fellow float-rider Janine Acquafredda, a Brooklyn-based real estate broker, into the race for Brooklyn Borough President. Acquafredda — who is half Puerto Rican and half Italian — saw firsthand how the Fair Act undercut hardworking agents across the city. Her campaign now speaks directly to communities being squeezed not only by rising costs, but by well-intentioned policies that often produce harmful, unintended consequences.

Also on the float was Michael Henry, the Republican frontrunner for New York Attorney General. Henry came within just 9.26 points of unseating Letitia James in 2022 — a remarkable showing in a state dominated by Democrats. With over 45% of the vote and growing financial and organizational support, he’s positioning himself for a successful rematch in 2026. His performance proves that New Yorkers are ready for a candidate who prioritizes law, order, and fiscal responsibility — not partisanship.

Together, these candidates represent a new Republican force — one rooted in community, common sense, and courage. If the Puerto Rican Day Parade was any indication, 2025 will not be business as usual in New York politics. This isn’t just another election year. It’s a political realignment — and it’s already underway.

Many of them will attend Alina Bonsell’s upcoming fundraiser, hosted by WABC radio host Sid Rosenberg, this Thursday, June 12, at D.O.M. Cocktail Bar & Lounge in Manhattan. Attendees will hear directly from Bonsell and other special guests while enjoying sushi, cocktails, and meaningful conversation about the future of New York.

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