New York’s final mayoral debate ahead of next month’s election descended into a series of personal exchanges on Wednesday night, as Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, former governor Andrew Cuomo, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa traded barbs in a charged and combative showdown.

The debate, hosted by CBS New York, highlighted the city’s growing divides over public safety, housing, and leadership style, but it was the sharp rhetoric and verbal sparring that defined the evening.

Heated exchanges overshadow policy

Cuomo, running as an independent, opened with a scathing attack on Mamdani’s credentials, saying, “You have no new ideas. You’ve never managed anything.”

The former governor, who resigned in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations, portrayed himself as the experienced hand capable of restoring order to a “dysfunctional” city.

Mamdani, a progressive lawmaker from Queens, fired back that Cuomo and Sliwa had “spent more time trying to convince each other to drop out than to explain their own policies.” He reiterated his calls for a citywide rent freeze, free bus service, and broader social programs to confront inequality.

Sliwa, known for his street-level activism, turned the debate into a performance of one-liners. “Your résumé could fit on a cocktail napkin,” he told Mamdani, before adding to Cuomo, “Your failures could fill a public-school library.”

Candidates clash over safety, housing, and identity

Public safety dominated much of the debate, with Sliwa emphasizing his history as founder of the Guardian Angels and calling for tougher crime measures. Cuomo accused Mamdani of “naivety” on policing, while Mamdani argued for addressing the “root causes” of crime, including housing insecurity and systemic inequities. 

Questions over Zohran Mamdani’s relationship with New York’s Jewish community dominated the middle section of the debate. Mamdani, who is poised to become the first Muslim to lead New York City, rejected taunts by his opponents after they accused him of threatening Jewish New Yorkers.

On the topic of ICE raids in New York, Andrew Cuomo argued that federal immigration agents should not target quality-of-life offenses such as street vending, describing those issues as a matter for local police. He added that he would have personally called US President Donald Trump to rein in ICE.

Curtis Sliwa countered, saying that, unlike Cuomo and Mamdani, he would “negotiate with Donald Trump and try to get the best deal possible.” Mamdani responded by labeling Cuomo “Donald Trump’s puppet.” The candidates then clashed over which of them Trump preferred. Cuomo asserted that Trump wanted Mamdani elected so he could “come in and take over the city,” calling the progressive contender “Trump’s dream.”

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Housing and homelessness

The debate later shifted to the city’s record 150,000 homeless students. Mamdani outlined plans to double a program pairing shelter families with city workers for regular check-ins. Cuomo noted that the “homeless rate has more than doubled” since he left office, though he did not clarify his figures.

Sliwa interjected with a jab at Cuomo’s record, “You didn’t leave. You fled from being impeached,” which drew one of the night’s loudest rounds of applause.

On housing, Mamdani pledged he would “freeze the rent” while also providing support for landlords. Cuomo defended past rent increases as necessary and argued that Mamdani could not implement a freeze because he does not control the city’s rent guidelines board.

“If you want a candidate for mayor who tells you everything he can’t do, then Andrew Cuomo is your choice,” Mamdani retorted, pointing out that the mayor appoints the board’s members.

When the “City of Yes” zoning reforms were discussed, Sliwa opposed them, while Cuomo and Mamdani offered conditional support. Pressed further, Mamdani stated, “I have not yet taken a position on those ballot amendments.”

Observers described the debate as one of the most combative in recent city memory. The Guardian noted that “personal attacks rather than policy” dominated the stage, with each candidate eager to land a headline-grabbing line rather than outline detailed governance plans.

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