Frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa confronted off within the closing debate of the New York Metropolis mayoral race on Wednesday, in a closing push to woo voters earlier than the November 4 vote.
However the assault traces they deployed towards one another, and their defences, had been principally alongside predictable traces, as their observe information, United States President Donald Trump and Israel’s battle on Gaza dominated their conflict at LaGuardia Neighborhood Faculty within the borough of Queens.
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Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, maintains a sizeable lead within the polls, after surging to a shock victory within the June major on a platform of affordability: pushing free buses, lease freezes, and common childcare, paid for, partly, by elevating taxes that favour the rich.
Cuomo has sought to painting Mamdani’s promises – most of which might require buy-in from state lawmakers – as unrealistic and has repeatedly taken intention on the 34-year-old Democratic Socialist’s lack of expertise in governing. The race has narrowed for the reason that present mayor, Eric Adams, exited the race, leaving simply Mamdani, Cuomo and Sliva within the contest.
Right here had been the highest takeaways from the talk:
Expertise versus the longer term
The night time started with Cuomo and Mamdani hammering residence the themes which have outlined the ultimate stretch of the race.
Cuomo referred to as himself the candidate who “can get it accomplished, not simply speak about it”.
“He’s by no means run something, managed something. He’s by no means had an actual job,” he mentioned of Mamdani.
Mamdani referred to as himself the “sole candidate operating with a imaginative and prescient for the way forward for this metropolis”.
“He’s a determined man lashing out as a result of he is aware of that the one factor he’s at all times cared about, energy, is now slipping away from him,” Mamdani mentioned of Cuomo.
Later within the night time, Sliwa took a swipe at each his opponents: “Zohran, your resume might match on a cocktail serviette, and Andrew, your failures might fill a public college library in New York Metropolis.”
Countering Trump
The US president has loomed massive over the New York Metropolis mayoral race. Wednesday’s debate additionally got here hours after immigration brokers raided Manhattan’s Chinatown, an escalation of federal enforcement measures in America’s largest metropolis.
Trump has pledged to deploy the Nationwide Guard and to chop federal funding to the town if Mamdani is elected. Cuomo, who shares most of the similar donors as Trump, has seized on these threats to painting a win for his rival as harmful for the town.
“[Trump] has mentioned he’ll take over New York if Mamdani wins, and he’ll, as a result of he has no respect for him. He [Trump] thinks he’s a child, and he’s going to knock him [Mamdani] on his tuchus,” Cuomo mentioned.
“I imagine [Trump] desires Mamdani, that’s his dream, as a result of he’ll use him politically all throughout our nation, and he’ll take over New York Metropolis,” he mentioned. “Make no mistake, it is going to be President Trump and Mayor Trump.”
Mamdani referred to as Cuomo “Donald Trump’s puppet”.
“You might activate the TV any day of the week, and you’ll hear Donald Trump share that his decide for mayor is Andrew Cuomo, and he desires Andrew Cuomo to be the mayor, not as a result of it is going to be good for New Yorkers, however as a result of it is going to be good for him,” he mentioned.
Assist for Palestine once more looms massive
Mamdani was once more requested about his staunch assist for Palestinian rights, which Cuomo has repeatedly decried, baselessly, as anti-Semitic.
Mamdani mentioned he “would be the mayor who doesn’t simply defend Jewish New Yorkers, but in addition celebrates and cherishes them”. He mentioned Cuomo was utilizing false claims of anti-Semitism to “rating political factors”.
Cuomo accused him of stoking “the flames of hatred towards Jewish individuals”.
Sliwa falsely accused Mamdani of endorsing “international jihad”.
“That isn’t one thing that I’ve mentioned and that continues to be ascribed to me,” Mamdani responded, “and admittedly, I believe a lot of it has to do with the truth that I’m the primary Muslim candidate to be on the precipice of profitable this election.”
Mamdani broadcasts decide for police commissioner
The main candidate additionally broke some information throughout the debate, saying he would ask present Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch to remain on in her publish if he wins.
That will upset a few of Mamdani’s supporters, who might see the police chief, who’s serving below present Mayor Adams, as out of step with the police reforms he has promised.
Tisch, whose household is value billions, has championed growing so-called “high quality of life” enforcement that critics say disproportionately harms minority communities. She has additionally pushed to make some legal legal guidelines stricter.
Cuomo grilled on sexual assault
Cuomo was repeatedly requested by his opponents concerning the sexual misconduct allegations from his staff that noticed him depart his publish as New York governor early in 2021.
Investigators with the state lawyer basic later discovered that Cuomo had “sexually harassed numerous present and former New York State staff”.
Cuomo has claimed the circumstances have been closed “legally”, however litigation in a number of circumstances continues.
In the course of the debate, Mamdani revealed that one accuser, Charlotte Bennett, who Cuomo is presently suing for defamation, was within the viewers.
“What do you say to the 13 ladies who you sexually harassed?” he requested Cuomo.
Cuomo pushed again, arguing that the sexual harassment circumstances have been dropped. “What you simply mentioned was a misstatement, which we’re accustomed to,” he responded to Mamdani.
