NEW YORK (AP) — Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo entered Thursday evening’s first New York mayoral debate trying to blunt Democratic front-runner Zohran Mamdani’s momentum. Instead, he spent much of the contentious face-off on defense, batting away criticisms over his long tenure in office from Mamdani and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Cuomo, now running as an independent, continued to try to cast Mamdani’s agenda as too extreme, saying he lacks the experience to lead America’s biggest city. Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, countered with attacks on the former governor’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and sexual harassment allegations that Cuomo denies.
But after two hours touching on how the next mayor would deal with President Donald Trump, quality-of-life issues, and affordability, it was unclear whether anyone did enough to shift the race.
Cuomo's stakes were especially high as the debate was among his last chances to convince voters that choosing Mamdani—who formerly defeated him in the summer primary—would be a mistake. The race also represents Cuomo’s attempt at a political comeback after his resignation four years ago following sexual harassment allegations.
Mamdani pushed his affordability agenda and sought to portray himself as a pragmatic liberal rather than a radical ideologue, trying to maintain the hopeful persona that has characterized his campaign amidst rising tensions.
As the debate progressed, Mamdani faced significant scrutiny, especially regarding his past comments on Israel, which he sought to clarify effectively. Meanwhile, Sliwa attempted to strengthen his underdog status, taking shots at both opponents and asserting a combative stance against Cuomo.
The underdog found himself caught in the middle, literally and figuratively, as the Republican's lectern positioned between his two opponents led to an excitable exchange of barbs. A second and final debate is set to occur next week, promising further developments in this tightly contested election race.
