A Fiery New York City Mayoral Debate at Frigid Rockefeller Center
New York City mayoral candidates Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, and Curtis Sliwa faced off in a heated debate at Rockefeller Center on Thursday night, clashing over issues from public safety to housing affordability.
Mamdani and Cuomo both vowed to “stand up to President Trump” to protect New Yorkers, though each gave the president rare credit for helping broker a Gaza ceasefire. Cuomo accused Mamdani’s pro-Palestinian stance of implying “from the river to the sea,” while Mamdani countered that he aims to represent all New Yorkers, including Jews.
Both Mamdani and Cuomo said they oppose deploying the National Guard in the city, while Sliwa defended the state’s decision to send troops to patrol the subways.
When asked how they would keep businesses in New York, Mamdani emphasized improving “quality of life,” while Cuomo warned against “socialism” and said the city must be a “partner, not a problem” for employers.
A lightning round touched on lighter topics — from marijuana purchases and bodega breakfast orders to favorite sports teams — before turning to New York’s affordability crisis. Candidates traded ideas on rent policy, wages, and improving public transportation.