Cuomo, Sliwa aim to blunt Mamdani’s momentum in contentious first NYC mayoral debate

By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE and JILL COLVIN
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City mayoral candidates Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa tried to blunt Democratic front-runner Zohran Mamdani’s momentum during a contentious first general election debate Thursday.

Cuomo, now running as an independent, spent much of the evening repeating his case that Mamdani lacks the experience to lead America’s biggest city and that his agenda is too radically left. Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, hit back, criticizing the former governor’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and repeatedly raising sexual harassment allegations that Cuomo denies.

But it was unclear whether any candidate did enough to move the needle during their two hours on stage.

For Cuomo, who spent much of the debate on defense, batting away criticisms over his long tenure in office, the stakes of the face-off were especially high. The debate was one of his last chances to try to convince voters that going with Mamdani, who already defeated the once-powerful governor in the primary this summer, would be a mistake.

The race is also Cuomo’s attempt at a political comeback after he resigned as governor four years ago following the sexual harassment allegations. Despite his denials of wrongdoing, he has been dogged by criticism over the scandal, along with other damaging baggage he picked up during while governor.

Mamdani, who spent much of the debate smiling as he tried to maintain the hopeful, charming vibe that has characterized his campaign, pushed his affordability agenda and sought to portray himself as a pragmatic liberal rather than a radical ideologue.

The race has catapulted him to national political stardom, with Republicans, including President Donald Trump, trying to turn him into the face of the Democratic Party by highlighting his most controversial past comments and positions and casting him as dangerous, a communist and an antisemite.

Meanwhile Sliwa, a Republican and the colorful creator of the Guardian Angels crime patrol group, tried to make his mark. Though he could have helped Cuomo by ganging up on Mamdani, he instead spent much of his time undercutting the former governor.

Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, suspended his reelection campaign late last month after being deeply wounded by a now-dismissed federal corruption case and his relationship with the Trump administration.

Here are some key takeaways from tonight’s debate:

Mamdani on defense

Mamdani came under attack straight out the gate, as Cuomo highlighted the 33-year-old’s relative lack of job experience and painted his agenda as unrealistic and unachievable.

Cuomo, stressing his own lengthy resume, said being mayor “is no job for on-the-job training”

“This is not a job for a first timer,” he said, while trying to to cast Mamdani as “Bill de Blasio light,” a reference to the unpopular former mayor.

Mamdani hit back at Cuomo’s integrity and decision-making during the pandemic and repeatedly raised the sexual harassment investigation and legal bills related to his defense.

“What I don’t have in experience, I make up for in integrity. What you don’t have in integrity, you can never make up for in experience,” he charged.

He also sought to cast himself as the only true Democrat onstage, despite the fact that he is not running on the Democratic Party line.

Mamdani’s brand of economic populism and laser focus on lowering costs in the astronomically expensive city has generated buzz and excitement. At the same time, the state assemblyman’s calls to raise taxes on wealthy people and intense criticisms of the Israel’s military actions in Gaza have unnerved some centrists and conservatives, as well as Jewish New Yorkers.

Mamdani pressed on past Israel comments

During an appearance on Fox News Channel this week, Mamdani sidestepped a question about whether Hamas should lay down arms as part of a fragile truce that has paused the two-year Israel-Hamas war.

On Thursday he did not equivocate, saying, “Of course I believe that they should lay down their arms.”

The comment came as Cuomo again highlighted Mamdani’s past reluctance to condemn the use of the phrase “Globalize the intifada,” which is seen by many Jews as a call to violence.

“Why wouldn’t he condemn Hamas?” Cuomo said. “He still won’t denounce ‘Globalize the intifada,’ which means kills all Jews.”

Since the primary Mamdani has said he does not use the phrase and would discourage people from saying it.

But Sliwa said it wasn’t enough, saying, “Jews don’t trust that you are going to be there for them when they are the victims of antisemitic attacks.”

Mamdani accused Cuomo of discounting the city’s Muslim community, claiming that it took losing to a Muslim candidate for Cuomo to step inside a mosque.

“It took me to get you to even see Muslims as part of this city,” Mamdani said.

Mamdani has tried to distance himself from some of his more contentious past statements, such as calling the New York Police Department “racist” and “a major threat to public safety.”

During his appearance on Fox, he publicly apologized for his language after doing so behind closed doors.

“I am not running to defund the police. I am running to actually work with the police to deliver public safety,” he said.

Trump front and center

The president, who has threatened to arrest Mamdani, to deport him and even to take over the city if he wins, was invoked early and often.

Pressed on how they would handle Trump, Mamdani said he would stand up to him while also being willing to work with him on lowering costs and affordability.

“What New Yorkers need is a mayor who can stand up to Donald Trump and actually deliver,” he said.

Cuomo warned that if Mamdani wins, “It will be Mayor Trump.”

“I’d like to work with you. I think we could do good things together. But No. 1, I will fight you every step of the way if you try to hurt New York,” Cuomo pledged.

He said Sliwa would not stand up to Trump, and as for Mamdani, the president “would knock him on his face.”

Sliwa warned that taking too contentious a tone would end up hurting the city.

“If you try to get tough with Trump,” he said, “New Yorkers will suffer.”

Sliwa tries to stand out

The underdog found himself caught in the middle — literally and figuratively — with the Republican’s lectern positioned between his two opponents as they lobbed attacks at one another.

At one point Sliwa complained that he was not getting enough speaking time, saying, “I am being marginalized out of this.”

At other times he aggressively attacked both Mamdani and Cuomo, including after the former governor stressed his willingness to take on Trump.

“You think you’re the toughest guy alive, but let me tell you something, you lost your own primary, rejected by your own Democratic Party,” Sliwa said.

He has resisted calls to exit the race from Mamdani critics who want to frame up a one-on-one race between Cuomo and Mamdani.

A second and final debate is scheduled for next week.