Mayoral hopefuls Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa viciously sparred in a fiery first debate Thursday, trading blows over inexperience, past scandals and Israel — with President Trump looming over the spectacle.
The debate’s first 30 minutes were marked by bitter back-and-forths between Mamdani, 33, the socialist Democratic nominee, and Cuomo, 67, the former governor running as an independent.
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was quick out of the gate to contrast Democratic Socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s lack of experience with his decades in politics. AP“If the assemblyman is elected mayor, Donald Trump will take over New York City and it will be Mayor Trump who runs New York,” Cuomo said, storming out of the gate by slamming the Queens state assemblyman’s relative lack of political experience.
NYC Mayoral Debate analysis
“He has literally never had a job,” Cuomo charged, adding, “God forbid — a 9/11, a health pandemic” should happen while he’s in office.”
“If you don’t know what you’re doing, people literally will die,” he said, adding failed mayors historically have been those without executive experience.
Here are some key moments from the first NYC mayoral debate
- Cuomo hits Mamdani during NYC mayoral debate on DSA plans to decriminalize prostitution
- Mamdani can’t explain how policies will fund $10B in ‘freebies’
- Cuomo lays into Mamdani during NYC mayoral debate for calling NYPD ‘racist’
- Mamdani slammed over lack of experience during NYC mayoral debate: ‘He has literally never had a job’
- Mamdani under fire after silence on Hamas, ‘Globalize the Intifada’ support
“This is not a job for a first timer.”
Mamdani was quick to fire back – accusing Cuomo of failed leadership leading to excess COVID-19 deaths during the pandemic.
Independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a mayoral debate, in New York, U.S. October 16, 2025. via REUTERS“And if we have a health pandemic, then why would New Yorkers turn back to the governor who sent senior to their deaths in nursing homes?” he said.
When the ex-gov claimed he’ll fight Trump every step of the way if he tries to hurt New York, Mamdani pounced with a pointed retort pointing out Cuomo’s tepid response to Trump’s Department of Justice prosecuting state Attorney General Letitia James.
Andrew Cuomo Curtis Sliwa and Zohran Mamdani participate in a mayoral debate, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. AP“Unless he weaponizes the justice system to go after the attorney general of the state, in which case you’ll issue a statement that doesn’t even name the president,” he said.
Standing between the other two contenders, Sliwa attacked them over bail reforms, the Raise the Age laws and the plan to close Rikers Island.
“Thank God I’m not a professional politician because they have helped create this crime crisis in the city that we face,” he said.
The WNBC debate is the first time Mamdani, Cuomo and Sliwa have squared off face-to-face-to-face in the topsy-turvy mayoral race.
A second debate is scheduled for Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. on NY1.
