With just weeks until Election Day, the New York City mayoral candidates, Democrat Zohran Mamdani, independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa, faced off in a fiery debate on Thursday evening, when they clashed over the affordability crisis, governmental experience, the Israel-Hamas war and Donald Trump, among other issues.
Here are some of the top moments from Thursday’s two-hour debate, hosted by NBC News New York and Telemundo New York, in partnership with Politico:
Mamdani shuts down concerns over his experience, says Cuomo lacks “integrity”
It didn’t take long for things to get heated between the two leading candidates. Within the first few minutes, Mamdani and Cuomo traded barbs over leadership and experience.
Throughout the campaign, Cuomo has repeatedly targeted the New York State assemblyman over his resume. “This is not a job for someone who has no management experience,” Cuomo said. “This is not a job for a first timer. Any day you could have a hurricane, you — God forbid — a 9/11, a health pandemic. If you don’t know what you’re doing, people could die.”
Mamdami shot back, asking the former governor if the city was to go through another health pandemic, then “Why would New Yorkers turn back to the governor who sent seniors to their death in nursing homes?”
“That’s the kind of experience that’s on offer here today,” Mamdani added. “What I don’t have in experience, I make up for in integrity. And what you don’t have in integrity, you could never make up for in experience.”
Sliwa paints himself as an outsider and labels his opponents “professional” politicians
In an effort to set himself apart from the two front-runners, Republican Sliwa came out swinging, labeling Cuomo and Mamdani career politicians.
“We have the architect and we have the apprentice of no-cash bail, which has been a disaster,” said the founder of the crime prevention group Guardian Angels. “We have the architect and the apprentice here of Raise the Age — my own son was almost killed because of that in a gang attack. We have the architect and we have the apprentice of ‘Close Riker’s Island,’ which would just release criminals in the street.”
“Thank God I’m not a professional politician because they have helped create this crime crisis in this city that I will resolve,” Sliwa said.
Candidates spar over how to address New York City’s affordability crisis
All the candidates were asked about their plans to curb skyrocketing rents and address the housing crisis plaguing the city.
Mamdani said he would freeze the rent for more than 2 million New Yorkers who live in rent-stabilized apartments, and pledged to build 200,000 affordable homes over the next decade. He also said he would make it easier for the private sector to build housing.
Cuomo hit back at Mamdani over his promise to freeze the rent, which he said would only delay any increases. “Freeze the rent only postpones the rent because then you have to have an increase to cover the costs, otherwise the building is going to go bankrupt.”
The former governor also pointed to his time as housing and urban development secretary during the Clinton administration. “I built affordable housing all across this nation. I built affordable housing in this city when I was in my twenties. I know how to get it done,” he said.
Sliwa said his housing policy centered around an idea to “improve and not to move,” using the thousands of available empty apartments scattered throughout the city that are under mayoral control. He also suggested converting unoccupied skyscrapers and office space into housing.
Israel-Hamas remains a hot-button topic
In addition to local issues, the candidates were also questioned about the recent ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
Mamdani said he was “proud” to have been one of the first elected officials in the state to call for a ceasefire and was “hopeful” the deal would hold. But, according to the democratic socialist, in order for a deal to hold, “We also have to ensure that it addresses the conditions that preceded this, conditions like occupation, like the siege and apartheid.” Sliwa and Cuomo both applauded the Trump administration for its handling of the deal. Sliwa accused Mamdani in particular of being “incapable of praising our president” or giving “credit where credit is due.” Cuomo also attacked Mamdani, asking why he refused to “condemn Hamas” and suggested Mamdani does not support Israel’s right to exist. “I’ve said time and again that I recognize Israel’s right to exist,” Mamdani replied. “I would not recognize any state’s right to exist with a system of hierarchy on the basis of race or religion.” The candidates were asked what they would say to the president in their first official call to “set the tone for your relationship moving forward.” Mamdani said he would be willing to talk and work with the president on issues such as lowering the cost of living for New Yorkers, but stressed he would stand firm against Trump’s pressure. “What New Yorkers need is a mayor who can stand up to Donald Trump and actually deliver,” he said. Cuomo also pledged to work with Trump on policies that would help the city residents, but that he would fight the president “every step of the way, if you try to hurt New York.” Sliwa said he has a “love-hate relationship” with Trump that goes back “over 30 years,” but promised to take a less confrontational approach than his opponents. “If you try to get tough with Trump, the only people who are going to suffer from that are the people of New York,” he said. The candidates are scheduled to face off again in a final debate Oct. 22, ahead of the Nov. 4 election.
Allison Detzel is an editor/producer for MS NOW.
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