Mamdani, Cuomo and Sliwa face off in 1st NYC mayoral debate

The second and final debate in the New York City mayor's race will be held Wednesday, Oct. 22, three days before the start of early voting and less than two weeks before Election Day, Nov. 4. 

It will air on NY1. 

Cuomo's experience and command of the issues are clear and continue to show how he has been at the forefront of real crises. He wins on substance, but spends the night on defense, getting nonstop attacks from all sides.

Mamdani has a better stage presence and is a more effective orator, but appears to have abandoned all of the statements on seizing the means of production, decriminalization work, and not closing jails. Or at least that's what it appears. It's tough to debate someone who disowns their own long-standing positions. Uncanny ability to control the camera, rehearsed the zingers, and released them timely.

Sliwa is tough. He is striking his opponents with a deep understanding of the issues underground and among those on the streets.

-- Political contributor J.C. Polanco 

All three candidates raised their hands when asked if they believed, as mayor, they could stop asylum seekers with no criminal charges from being taken into custody at routine hearings. 

Cuomo said he would assign attorneys to each person under federal review to ensure their legal protections are upheld. 

Sliwa said ICE should be going after criminals, but not hardworking migrants just to meet "a quota." 

"We need to protect the migrants who are essential workers and use ICE to go after the drug dealers, the gang bangers, the sexual predators," he said. 

Mamdani agreed with Cuomo's push for more legal representation and said more people need to stand up to President Trump. 

Mamdani: "It's a decision that should be made after this general election."

Cuomo: "You have to know [who else is] running." 

Sliwa: "Shoutout for Elise Stefanik to take out Kathy Hochul." 

Mamdani: Bernie Sanders

Cuomo: His father, former Gov. Mario Cuomo. 

Sliwa: Former Gov. George Pataki. 

Sliwa said Rudy Giuliani was the city's best mayor, and that he'd "have a little bit of Michael Bloomberg thrown in" because he liked delegating responsibility. Giuliani has endorsed Sliwa. 

Mamdani said he believes Fiorello La Guardia was the city's best mayor. 

Cuomo agreed La Guardia is the city's best mayor of all time. He said David Dinkins and Bloomberg were the best recent mayors. 

Cuomo said the best modern day president was Bill Clinton, who made him Housing and Urban Development secretary. 

Mamdani responded Franklin D. Roosevelt. Cuomo then interjected he'd say FDR too "if that's modern day." 

Sliwa said he admired former New York Gov. George Pataki because he was supported by Democrats and Republicans, then was asked by the moderator to name a former president. He said Ronald Reagan.

Sliwa said he dealt with prostitution problems in Times Square, Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen in the '80s and '90s, and would ramp up enforcement as mayor. 

"You don't go after the women. The women are the victims here," he said. "The madams and the pimps need to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and these absentee landlords who knowingly rent their rooms, their apartments out for use of prostitution. The Department of Buildings should come and padlock the building, seize the building, because many of these landlords live in Delray, Florida."

Cuomo said Mamdani has supported legislation to decriminalize prostitution, simply by not prosecuting women for it. 

"That would take Roosevelt Avenue and explode it," he said. "It would make it legal for prostitutes." 

The candidates were asked how they would address ongoing complaints about prostitution in Queens, specifically around Roosevelt Avenue. 

Mamdani said he does not support legalizing prostitution and never has, but he does not support prosecuting women for it. 

"My policy is to take on sex trafficking, to have zero tolerance for violence against women and to follow the advice of district attorneys," he said. "The former Manhattan DA having said that prosecuting women for prostitution is something that actually leads to less safety and what we need to do is provide an economy of opportunity." 

Mamdani said he plans to freeze rent for the nearly one million rent-stabilized apartments in the city. 

He said he will build 200,000 "truly affordable homes across the five boroughs over the next 10 years" to boost overall housing stock. 

Mamdani said he'll also make it easier for the private sector to build housing, saying the wait to start construction is "often costing so many so much." 

Mamdani was asked how he can reach a decision to freeze rents when he hasn't seen next year's data on the costs of maintaining a building. 

Mamdani said he's "seen the data year after year of the fact that salaries are stagnating, costs are up, New Yorkers can't actually afford their apartments." 

"Freeze the rent only postpones the rent," Cuomo said. "Because then you have to have an increase to cover the costs, otherwise the building is going to go bankrupt." 

Cuomo said Mamdani's proposal does nothing for NYCHA residents or homeowners. He pointed to his experience as HUD secretary building affordable housing. 

In rebuttal, Mamdani disputed Cuomo's claim that free buses would lead to homeless people staying on board and Sliwa's about rising fare evasion. 

He said after Albany enacted one free bus line in each borough, "There was no increase in homelessness on those buses. There was no increase in fare evasion in the surrounding area. What there was, was an increase in ridership of up to 38%." 

One of Mamdani's signature campaign promises is to eliminate bus fares and improve service.

Sliwa argued free buses would destroy the transit system and that the city needs to crack down on fare evasion. 

"There's not enough money out there to make up for fare evasion. Pay your fare. If you don't pay your fare, they have fare programs from the poor and the indigent, but everybody should be forced to pay their fare," Sliwa said. 

Cuomo said making buses free for all would be a mistake. 

"It's been done before in other cities. It was a disaster. They stopped," Cuomo said. "They basically became mobile homeless gathering places." 

But he did propose free bus and subway rides for "working families who can't afford it," adding "don't subsidize rich people on a bus."

Mamdani's proposed Department of Community Safety was discussed in the debate. 

"If you want more of the same, vote for Andrew Cuomo," Mamdani said. 

He said his proposal would bring dedicated mental health outreach workers in subway stations, and will improve police response times overall since they won't have to respond to mental health calls across the city. 

"What you have proposed with this new police outreach unit will endanger women and children in domestic violence situations. I know, I've been involved in so many of them with the Guardian Angels, they will be killed. They will be maimed," Sliwa said. 

"To be very clear, the Department of Community Safety is not about responding to calls of domestic violence. We are speaking about mental health crisis and the homelessness crisis. These are the focuses of the work that they will do," Mamdani said. 

Mamdani and Sliwa continue to look directly at the camera with each answer. Cuomo looks at the moderator as he would in a press conference. This stylistic difference is essential.

-- Political contributor J.C. Polanco 

Sliwa said protesters should not be allowed to wear face coverings during demonstrations. 

"Why are you afraid of identifying who you are as a demonstrator, unless maybe you're an agent provocateur being sent in here to cause chaos," he said. 

Mamdani was asked if he would allow protesters to block bridges, roads and hubs, like Grand Central Terminal. 

"We deserve to have a mayor who stands up for the First Amendment, especially as we have a president that's looking shred it," he said. 

He said a line will be drawn when it comes to protesters breaking the law and that demonstrating is one of the city's core values. He said he will not participate in protests if elected mayor.

Cuomo was asked how he would balance the right to protest while maintaining order. 

"Demonstrating is one thing. Violating the law is something else. Blocking public transit is something else, stopping students from going to class is something else. Harassment, intimidation, that's a hate crime," he said.

Cuomo said he previously stood up to Trump over deploying the National Guard to New York. 

"I went through this with him," Cuomo said. 

"Wait a second, the president is going to back down to you, Andrew Cuomo? I know you think you're the toughest guy alive, but let me tell you something, you lost your own primary, right? You were rejected by your Democrats. And you have a difficult understanding what the term 'no' is. You're not going to stand up to Donald Trump," Sliwa said. 

"I agree with Curtis," Mamdani said. 

"You're not going to stand up to Donald Trump," Cuomo said to Sliwa. "And [Mamdani] can't stand up to Donald Trump." 

"There's no need for the National Guard in New York," Sliwa said. 

Sliwa talked about Gov. Kathy Hochul's deployment of National Guard into the subway system, and brought up the tragic killing of a woman who was set on fire in the system. 

"I would tell the president of the United States ... if you're going to send the National Guard, you don't need to send them to New York City. There are other cities that could desperately use their help," Sliwa said.

Mamdani also said the National Guard is not needed in New York City. He said if the president was interested in safety, he would send them to the eight out of 10 states that have the highest levels of crime in this country, "but he won't, because they're all run by Republicans." 

Andrew Cuomo accused Mamdani of not denouncing Hamas, and said his remarks on occupation are "code meaning that Israel does not have a right to exist as a Jewish state, which he has never acknowledged ... that is 'from the river to the sea.' That's why he won't denounce 'globalize the intifada.'" 

Mamdani said "the occupation is a reference to international law and the violation of it, which Mr. Cuomo has no regard for since he signed up to be Benjamin Netanyahu's legal defense team during the course of this genocide." 

Mamdani was asked if Hamas should lay down their weapons. 

"Of course I believe they should lay down their arms," Mamdani said. "I, like many New Yorkers, am hopeful that this ceasefire will hold. I'm hopeful that it is durable. I'm hopeful that it is just. And for it to be just, we also have to ensure that it addresses the conditions that proceeded this. Conditions like occupation, like the siege, and apartheid. And that is what I'm hopeful for."

Sliwa then complained that he was being marginalized in the debate. 

Sliwa went on to say President Trump should've been applauded for "bringing peace to Gaza and trying to end the hostilities in the war between the Israelis and Hamas." 

Cuomo said he supports the ceasefire agreement and accused Mamdani of refusing to denounce Hamas. 

Mamdani gets the tricky question on his lack of experience. He says he has experience from serving in the State Assembly, then goes into an attack on Cuomo. The answer is weak. The Assemblyman had an opportunity to describe why he's qualified and talked about paying for a bus, waiting for a bus and buying groceries, but that is a weak answer. I expected a much sharper answer from such a polished orator.

Sliwa gets the tough question on experience, as I expected. He gave a great answer on the Guardian Angels, admitted to not being all-knowing, and provided an honest answer, and blamed Cuomo and Mamdani for state failures.

-- Political contributor J.C. Polanco

In their discussion about experience, Cuomo and Mamdani exchanged their first sharp jabs at one another. 

"In other words, what the assemblyman said is that he has no experience," Cuomo said. "He literally never has had a job. On his resume, he says he interned for his mother. This is not a job for a first timer."   

"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," Mamdani replied.  

The candidates were asked what they would say to President Trump in their first official call as mayor. 

Mamdani said he would tell Mr. Trump he's willing to work with him to lower the cost of living for New Yorkers, and criticized him for recent prosecutions of his political enemies and deportations.

"If he ever wants to come for New Yorkers in the way that he has been, he's going to have to get through me as the next mayor of this city," Mamdani said.

Cuomo said he would tell the president he would like to avoid their past battles, like during COVID.

"I'd like to work with you. I think we can do good things together, but number one, I will fight you every step of the way if you try to hurt New York," Cuomo said. 

Sliwa said he's had "a love/hate relationship with Donald Trump that goes back over 30 years," but he would be firm telling him the city needs the Gateway Tunnel. 

"If you try to get tough with Trump, the only people that are going to suffer from that are the people of New York City," Sliwa said. 

Andrew Cuomo was asked about exiting the governorship under a cloud of scandals related to sexual harassment and his handling of COVID. 

Cuomo acknowledged he left office, and said it was a political report. He said it was litigated for five years and he was dropped from the cases. 

"So none of that came to anything," Cuomo said. 

He went on to point to his experience at HUD and his 11 years in office as governor. 

"I got government to work," Cuomo said. "This is no job for on the job training. And if you look at the failed mayors, they're ones that had no management experience. Don't do it again." 

Mamdani was asked about his lack of management experience. 

Mamadani pointed to his time in the assembly, saying he has five years of experience of watching a broken system. 

"The experience amidst all of that of fighting and winning for working class taxi drivers to free them of predatory debt, delivering the first free bus lines in New York City history," Mamdani said. "More than that, I have the experience of being a New Yorker, someone who has actually paid rent in this city before I ran for mayor." 

"What all of that experience has shown me, which Mr. Cuomo can't seem to understand, is that it is far too expensive and far too hard for New Yorkers to live in this city," Mamdani added. 

The debate got started with the candidates being asked to write their own headlines after their first year in office. 

Andrew Cuomo joked about how long the headline could be but said it would be "Rent down, crime down, education scores up, more jobs in New York City, optimism high." 

Curtis Sliwa said his would be "Curtis Sliwa exceeds all expectations and looks very mayoral tonight." 

Zohran Mamdani said his would be "Mamdani continues to take on Trump, delivers on affordability agenda for New Yorkers." 

This is a massive night for former Gov. Cuomo. Will he be able to reconnect with voters who did not vote in the June Democratic primary? Can his performance encourage new voters to come out and support him? How will he contrast with Assemblyman Mamdani?

-- Political contributor J.C. Polanco

Candidates will have one minute to respond to questions, followed by 30 second rebuttals at the moderators' discretion. 

At times, the candidates may be asked for shorter answers. 

The moderators reserved the right to cut a candidate's microphone if they ignore the rules. 

Sliwa needs to show he's a serious contender tonight, according to POLITICO's Nick Reisman.

"Sliwa is really going to have to try to find a way to break through beyond the public safety messaging that he has had throughout this campaign," he said. "Obviously, he's a longtime fixture in New York City politics, kind of seen as this eccentric character, but he wants to be taken seriously. Can he have a night where he is taken seriously as a real candidate with a potential of winning, even though he's a Republican?"

Cuomo needs to capitalize on any mistakes or missteps from the Democratic nominee, according to POLITICO's Nick Reisman. 

"There really has not been a moment in the general election campaign so far that's really upended this race or been something of a game changer. So what Andrew Cuomo needs to do is find that moment to kind of exploit against Mamdani. But for him, time's really running short," he said, adding, "You're going to have to come out pretty aggressively and swing pretty aggressively here. But at the same time, it's worth noting, that if Cuomo is a little too aggressive, if he comes across as a little too gruff or scolding -- as he, quite frankly, has during much of the primary, kind of that doom and gloom messaging that we saw through much of the year -- it didn't really work with Democratic primary voters."

POLITICO reporter Nick Reisman broke down what each candidate needs to do to break through in tonight's debate. 

He said Mamdani has gone from the underdog to frontrunner and is looking to maintain a double digit lead in the polls. 

"At the minimum, what he's got to do is kind of play prevent defense. He's up by two touchdowns at this point and, obviously, he wants to win next month," said Reisman. "So at minimum, he's got to go in and have a mistake-free evening against former Go. Andrew Cuomo, who is his primary opponent at this point."

Mamdani has been polling ahead of the pack for the general election since his primary victory. But since Adams left the race, a Quinnipiac poll released earlier this month showed Cuomo was closing the gap. 

In the poll, Mamdani held 46%, compared to Cuomo's 33%. But on Sept. 10, with Adams still in the race, Quinnipiac polling had Mamdani at 45% and Cuomo at 23%. 

The latest Quinnipiac poll had Sliwa in third at 15%.

A CBS News poll in September found affordability is top of mind for New York City voters in this election. It found 37% of likely voters said the cost of living is their most important issue in the race, followed by 31% who said crime and safety.

The poll, taken before Mayor Eric Adams ended his reelection campaign, found Mamdani was seen as the candidate most likely to "bring change" and "get things done." 

New York's voter registration deadline for this race is Saturday, Oct. 25 -- the same day that early voting starts. CLICK HERE to check your registration status. 

Early voting will be held for nine days from Saturday, Oct. 25 through Sunday, Nov. 2. CLICK HERE to find your polling location. 

Early voting polling hours will be:

• Oct. 25-27: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Oct. 28-29: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Oct. 30: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Oct. 31: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Nov. 1-2: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There is no voting on Monday, Nov. 3. Election Day will be held Tuesday, Nov. 4. 

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Day. 

Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani pulled off a stunning upset in the Democratic primary and is considered the frontrunner in the race. His campaign largely focuses on making the city more affordable for working class New Yorkers, with proposals like freezing the rent for stabilized units, free buses and universal child care. 

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is running on an independent line after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani. He says his experience leading the state of New York makes him the most qualified for the job. 

Republican Curtis Sliwa is running as a Republican after an unsuccessful bid in 2021. The Guardian Angels founder considers himself the law and order candidate with a focus on public safety. 

Incumbent New York City Mayor Eric Adams will also be on the ballot, though he is no longer running for reelection. Independent candidate Jim Walden, who also suspended his campaign, will also have his name on the ballot. 

New Yorkers will also cast their ballots for Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough Presidents, City Councilmembers and judges, along with six ballot proposals. 

The first debate is being hosted by NBC 4 New York and Telemundo, in partnership with POLITICO. It's scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at the 30 Rock studios in Manhattan. 

This live blog will have real-time reporting on key moments, clashes, questions and statements during the debate, followed by highlights and political analysis.