University of Kwazulu-Natal

Candidates In Nyc Mayoral Race Face Off In Contentious First Debate

Bonisiwe Shabane
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candidates in nyc mayoral race face off in contentious first debate

All three candidates in New York City's mayoral race faced off Thursday night in their first general election debate, sparring over crime, affordable housing and Israel. New York City voters are soon to choose a new mayor. Three candidates debated last night, including the leaders, state lawmaker Zohran Mamdani and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Their exchanges included this. ANDREW CUOMO: He literally has never had a job. On his resume, it says he interned for his mother.

This is not a job for a first-timer. ZOHRAN MAMDANI: 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. INSKEEP: NPR's Brian Mann was watching. Brian, good morning. Updated on: October 16, 2025 / 11:32 PM EDT / CBS New York

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. 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. The three remaining candidates for New York City mayor — Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa — faced off Thursday in the first debate of the general election.

The sparring session between far-left frontrunner Mamdani, former New York governor Cuomo and beret-wearing GOP firebrand Curtis Sliwa lasted two hours and saw some tense, fiery exchanges between the three candidates. Live updates have ended, but keep reading to catch up on everything that went down during the debate: New York City mayoral candidates Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa tried to blunt Democrat Zohran Mamdani’s momentum during a highly contentious first general election debate Thursday evening. From left, Mayoral candidates, Independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani participate in a debate, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York.

(AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, Pool) Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks during a mayoral debate, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, Pool) Independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a mayoral debate, Thursday, Oct.

16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, Pool) Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa speaksduring a mayoral debate, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, Pool) On Thursday night, Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, former Gov.

Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa sparred during their first general election debate of the NYC mayoral race. NEW YORK - It’s a pivotal night in the race to become New York City’s next mayor. Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa are taking the stage in their first of two debates before Election Day. From left, Mayoral candidates Independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani participate in a mayoral debate, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York.

(AP Photo/Angelina With Mamdani holding a commanding lead in the polls, Cuomo and Sliwa face mounting pressure to make their case to voters on issues like crime, affordability and leadership. SKIP TO: Live updates | Meet the candidates | Polls NEW YORK (WABC) -- The three candidates hoping to become New York City's next mayor faced off on the debate stage Thursday night. Zohran Mamdani marched to the debate stage Thursday night surrounded by joyous supporters and found himself under attack in the first few minutes. "He has no experience, and this is not a job for someone who has no management experience to run 300,000 people, no financial experience to run $115 billion budget, he literally has never had...

Former Governor Cuomo, running as an Independent, ridiculed Mamdani as inexperienced and unqualified. "Any day, you could have a hurricane. You're, God forbid, a 911 a health pandemic," Cuomo said.

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