With early voting set to begin this weekend, the seven candidates vying for New York City’s next mayor sharpened their messages—and their attacks—during the final televised debate Thursday night. Hosted at John Jay College and presented by THE CITY, NY1/Spectrum News, WNYC/Gothamist, and other media partners, the debate featured fiery exchanges, particularly between the race’s two leading contenders: former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani (D-Queens).
Joining them on stage were City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Comptroller Brad Lander, State Senator Zellnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn), former Comptroller Scott Stringer, and former hedge fund manager Whitney Tilson. While each candidate made the case for their leadership on issues such as housing, public safety, education, and the city’s post-pandemic recovery, it was the sharp back-and-forth between Cuomo and Mamdani that dominated the night.
Cuomo, leaning into his experience as a former three-term governor, argued that Mamdani lacks the qualifications to lead the city, calling it “reckless and dangerous” to elect someone with such a limited legislative record. He highlighted that Mamdani has passed only three bills in Albany.
Mamdani, 33, hit back forcefully, pointing to Cuomo’s scandals and exit from the governor’s office amid sexual harassment allegations. “I have never had to resign in disgrace,” Mamdani said. “I have never cut Medicaid. I have never stolen hundreds of millions of dollars from the MTA. I have never hounded the 13 women who credibly accused me of sexual harassment. I have never sued for their gynecological records.”
He also criticized Cuomo for repeatedly mispronouncing his name: “It’s M-A-M-D-A-N-I.”
Addressing concerns about his youth and limited track record, Mamdani emphasized the strength of his campaign and his commitment to hiring experienced professionals. He named potential appointees such as Maria Torres-Springer (former First Deputy Mayor under Eric Adams), Patrick Gaspard (an advisor to former Mayor Bill de Blasio), and Amit Singh Bagga (former City Hall and Albany staffer).
Cuomo, who would be 76 by the end of a second term, continued to frame the race as one between experience and inexperience.
Offering a measured take, Scott Stringer commented that Cuomo has experience and Mamdani has vision—but argued that neither offers both.
The debate also touched on high-stakes topics beyond local policy, including the war in Gaza and how each candidate would approach a potential second Trump presidency—highlighting the broader political divides within the field as New York heads into a closely watched mayoral election.
