On Thursday evening, the New York City mayoral election reached a crucial moment as three main candidates engaged in a fierce debate on television. The debate, scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Eastern Time, featured Zohran Mamdani from the Democratic Party, Curtis Sliwa from the Republican Party, and former Governor Andrew Cuomo running as an independent candidate.
Since the current mayor Eric Adams announced he would not seek re-election at the end of September, what was once a crowded field of candidates has now narrowed down to a three-way race. Adams has not publicly endorsed any candidate yet, but according to CBS News New York, he is considering endorsing Cuomo and has ruled out supporting Mamdani.
According to the Washington Capitol Hill News, current polling data shows a clear competition among the three candidates. Decision Desk HQ’s polling data indicated Mamdani had 45% support and Cuomo had 27% when Adams announced his withdrawal. About ten days later, Mamdani’s support rose slightly to 46%, while Cuomo climbed to 31%, and Sliwa remained around 13%.
With only a few weeks left until the November 4th election day, the pressure of time is growing. Particularly for Cuomo, who is currently behind in the polls, the upcoming two debates will be crucial in determining whether he can turn the tide.
Cuomo’s current strategy focuses on securing the support base originally held by Adams. However, there is dissent within the Republican Party on who to support. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani publicly endorsed his friend Sliwa, praising his experience in maintaining law and order and caring for marginalized communities. On the other hand, several of Giuliani’s former aides chose to stand with Cuomo.
This division complicates Cuomo’s efforts to consolidate conservative votes and highlights Sliwa’s role as an important variable in the election.
Mamdani, the rising star of the Democratic Party who was previously labeled a “communist” by former President Trump, faces challenges despite leading in the polls. His slogans, socialist positions, stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and policies such as freezing rent hikes and taxing the wealthy have raised questions among some voters.
To counter the negative impact on his image, Mamdani has adopted a pragmatic strategy. He pledged to no longer use the controversial slogan “Globalize the Intifada” and actively engaged with business figures.
Additionally, even previously reluctant corporate giants like Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, have begun to show goodwill and openness toward his potential election.
However, Mamdani has yet to gain the support of heavyweight political figures in New York, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who have not publicly endorsed him.
In the upcoming television debate, the peace agreement between Israel and Hamas brokered by former President Trump is expected to be a core topic. Cuomo has questioned Mamdani’s ability to counter the Trump administration, while Mamdani has countered by pointing out the overlap between Cuomo’s backers and Trump’s, asserting that Cuomo is also unable to effectively balance the White House.
Another sensitive topic could involve New York State Attorney General Letitia James, who has been critical of Trump. James, who publicly endorsed Mamdani, played a role in Cuomo resigning as governor due to a sexual harassment investigation report released by her office.
Housing affordability and the impact of the federal government shutdown on New York are also key issues that candidates must address.
One looming question that all candidates may have to confront is how they will interact with Trump if elected mayor of what is traditionally considered a Democratic stronghold like New York. Trump has made it clear that if Mamdani wins, he will cut federal aid to New York City and may deploy the National Guard when necessary.
Cuomo claims he is best suited to handle threats from the president, citing frequent clashes during his tenure as governor. Mamdani emphasizes that he is the only candidate with “no relationship” with the president. Although Sliwa shares similar views with Trump on public safety issues, their relationship is strained. Trump has publicly stated that Sliwa is “not up to the task.” The debate may force the three candidates to clarify their positions on this issue.
Political analysts generally agree that although Sliwa is lagging in the polls, he plays a significant role. He refuses to withdraw from the race and, during an interview on Tuesday, ridiculed the other two candidates, declaring himself as the “only one who can balance between Mamdani and Cuomo.” This attitude continues to split conservative votes, making Cuomo’s path to catch up with Mamdani more challenging.
For Cuomo, the task in this debate is clear: to avoid major missteps while trying to expose weaknesses in Mamdani’s lead. Despite continuously criticizing Mamdani for being too radical and lacking experience in governing a major city, these statements have not yet shifted the election landscape.
As the election day approaches, whether this first debate on Thursday can bring a turning point for Cuomo or solidify Mamdani’s lead has become a focal point of attention across all sectors.
The debate will be co-hosted by NBC 4 New York/WNBC, Telemundo 47/WNJU, and Politico. Following this, the three candidates will hold a second debate next Wednesday. It will be the final opportunity for the candidates to make their case to New York voters.