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(The Hill) — The 3 candidates successful New York City’s mayoral contention took to the statement signifier for the last clip Wednesday, little than 2 weeks retired from Election Day.
There was nary shortage of fireworks betwixt Democratic Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, erstwhile New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who’s present moving arsenic an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa, with Cuomo and Sliwa often ganging up connected Mamdani.
However, with galore polls continuing to amusement Mamdani connected an evident glide way to the mayor’s office, it’s unclear if Wednesday’s statement volition determination the needle.
Here are 5 takeaways from the last New York City mayoral debate.
Andrew Cuomo-Zohran Mamdani rivalry turns into a weapon fight
The last statement was Cuomo’s past accidental to enactment Mamdani connected defence connected signifier and presumption himself arsenic the safest enactment to pb New York. Cuomo repeatedly chided Mamdani for what helium said was his inexperience and pie-in-the-sky ideas. Cuomo besides sought to backmost Mamdani into a country implicit disapproval helium has received implicit his views connected Israel.
“I did things. You’ve ne'er had a job. You’ve ne'er accomplished anything. There’s nary crushed to judge you merit oregon qualification for 8 and a fractional cardinal lives," Cuomo said. “You ne'er showed up for enactment and you missed eighty percent of the votes. Shame connected you."
Mamdani came prepared for Cuomo, referring to him arsenic “a hopeless man” who is losing powerfulness and volition “amplify rightwing talking points.” The progressive assemblyman besides referred to the erstwhile politician arsenic “Donald Trump’s puppet.”
"You tin crook connected TV immoderate time of the week and you volition perceive Donald Trump stock that his prime for politician is Andrew Cuomo. And helium wants Andrew Cuomo to beryllium politician not due to the fact that it'll beryllium bully for New Yorkers but due to the fact that it'll beryllium bully for him,” Mamdani said.
The exchanges betwixt Mamdani and Cuomo got truthful heated astatine times that Spectrum News moderator Errol Louis had to inquire the 2 to halt talking implicit each other.
There was 1 infinitesimal of levity betwixt the 2 candidates erstwhile Mamdani was asked if Cuomo got thing close during the pandemic. Mamdani commented that the process helium went done to person a COVID-19 changeable was efficient. Cuomo thanked Mamdani for the compliment, prompting Mamdani to quip helium received it astatine a city-run facility.
Andrew Cuomo aims to stoke fearfulness astir Trump if Zohran Mamdani wins
While Mamdani was seeking to nexus Cuomo to Trump, Cuomo sought to pass New Yorkers astir however Trump would dainty the metropolis if Mamdani is elected.
“President Trump has to respect you,” Cuomo said, citing his ain acquisition moving with the archetypal Trump medication erstwhile helium was New York governor. "He volition instrumentality implicit NYC if Mamdani wins, helium thinks he's a kid and volition sound him connected his tuchus.”
Cuomo’s remarks look to beryllium portion of an effort to flip Mamdani’s assertion that Cuomo is simply a conveyance of Trump’s connected its face.
Trump has said helium volition not get progressive successful his hometown’s mayoral race, but has been vocal astir his disdain for the thought of Mamdani serving arsenic mayor.
However, Trump has besides said that a Mamdani triumph would beryllium a governmental “gift” for the Republican Party.
Prior to the statement connected Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump has told allies helium believes Mamdani is unbeatable successful the mayoral race.
Curtis Sliwa gets immoderate notable moments
As a Republican, Sliwa has agelong been considered a agelong changeable successful the contention to pb the wide bastion of New York City. He has besides faced unit to driblet out, with Cuomo’s allies arguing that helium is boosting Mamdani’s chances by staying successful the race.
The firebrand Republican made it wide he’s not going retired without a fight, and helium had a fig of notable moments during Wednesday’s debate.
Sliwa often received applause for his onslaught lines against Cuomo and Mamdani. At 1 point, Sliwa accused Cuomo of fleeing his station arsenic politician amid a imaginable impeachment by the authorities legislature implicit intersexual harassment allegations.
“Andrew, you didn’t leave,” Sliwa said, turning to look Cuomo. “You fled from being impeached by the Democrats successful the authorities legislature.”
Sliwa besides sought to presumption himself arsenic the big successful the room, referring to Cuomo and Mamdani arsenic “two schoolhouse kids” aggregate times successful the debate.
A rowdy assemblage brings the energy
Unlike the archetypal mayoral debate, the last statement featured a unrecorded audience. While statement audiences are usually encouraged to stay quiescent during forums, Wednesday’s assemblage broke into cheers and applause passim the hour-and-a-half-long event.
All 3 candidates received applause from supporters successful the audience, who repeatedly reacted to the jabs thrown among the candidates passim the evening.
Mamdani was besides liable for 1 of the astir melodramatic moments of the night, erstwhile helium announced that helium brought erstwhile Cuomo adjutant Charlotte Bennett arsenic his guest. Bennett was 1 of the women who accused Cuomo of intersexual harassment during his clip arsenic governor.
“One of those women, Charlotte Bennett, is present successful the assemblage this evening,” Mamdani said, confronting Cuomo. “You sought to entree her backstage gynecological records. She cannot talk up for herself due to the fact that you lodged a defamation lawsuit against her. I, however, tin speak. What bash you accidental to the 13 you sexually harassed?”
Cuomo responded by arguing that the cases were dropped.
No game-changer successful NYC mayor's debate
Wednesday’s statement could beryllium considered must-see tv for governmental junkies enthralled by the mayoral race, which took an unpredictable crook with the emergence of Mamdani.
But it’s doubtful that the lawsuit volition alteration galore minds. While determination were surely fireworks and notable exchanges, determination were nary large news-making moments. And it’s unclear whether a 90-minute statement volition alteration immoderate minds little than 2 weeks retired from Election Day.
Despite attacks from his opponents and governmental figures including Trump, thing seems to beryllium getting successful the mode of Mamdani’s ascension to Gracie Mansion.
A survey released by AARP and Gotham Polling connected Monday showed Mamdani with a 43.2 percent lead, followed by Cuomo astatine 28.9 percent and Sliwa astatine 19.4 percent.
