The second and final debate for New York City’s mayoral race was filled with barbs and quips as candidates made their last appeals to voters ahead of the November 4 election.
The candidates include Democrat Zoran Mamdani, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and former governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent. They clashed on the Spectrum NY1 stage, often trading blows about their backgrounds and potential collaboration with President Trump if elected.
They also tackled various policy proposals, touching on pressing issues like public safety, housing, and education.
Here are the standout moments from the debate held at LaGuardia Community College.
1) Cuomo and Sliwa join forces to critique Mamdani’s political stance.
Despite their personal rivalries, Sliwa and Cuomo occasionally united to attack Mamdani for his lack of response to voter proposals. When Mamdani sidestepped questions about housing, Sliwa remarked, “Don’t act like a politician,” before expressing his appreciation for the policies being presented on the ballot.
Cuomo chimed in with sarcasm, initially taken aback by Mamdani’s silence on critical questions concerning housing developments, which have become a central topic of debate.
2) Sliwa mocks Mamdani’s credentials.
Sliwa remains in third place but isn’t backing down without a fight. While Cuomo and Mamdani squabbled, Sliwa seized the moment to criticize both candidates, particularly targeting Mamdani’s experience.
“I heard kids fighting in a schoolyard,” Sliwa noted, then added, “Your resume could fit on a cocktail napkin,” before turning to Cuomo and saying, “And yours could fill New York’s public school libraries with failures.”
3) Mamdani confronts Cuomo on past misconduct.
Mamdani directly challenged Cuomo on his resignation stemming from a sexual harassment scandal, introducing former state employee Charlotte Bennett in the audience. This left Cuomo visibly shaken.
Mamdani asserted, “You are pursuing legal action against these women,” and pointedly asked, “What would you say to the 13 women you sexually harassed?”
Cuomo fumbled in his response, failing to address the severity of the allegations against him.
4) Sliwa criticizes Cuomo’s escape from impeachment.
Sliwa also seized on Cuomo’s past issues, declaring, “You evaded impeachment from the Democrats!” Cueing applause, he highlighted Cuomo’s troubled tenure as governor.
Amid this exchange, Sliwa and Mamdani delved into Cuomo’s housing record and how it relates to the issues at hand.
5) Trump remains a key figure in the debate.
As the candidates discussed how they would interact with President Trump, Cuomo remarked that Trump views him as “a child” and suggested Mamdani wouldn’t meet the challenge.
Mamdani retorted that Cuomo is merely a “puppet” for Trump, asserting that Trump supports Cuomo not for the benefit of New Yorkers, but for his own purposes.
The election is set for November 4, with early voting beginning this Saturday.
