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NEW YORK, New York – The three men running to be the next mayor of New York City, the largest city in the United States, clashed multiple times on the debate stage Thursday night over issues ranging from the war in Gaza to public safety and housing costs.
Public safety was discussed throughout the debate, with Mamdani's previous disparaging comments about police and his calls to defund the New York City Police Department taking center stage.
“He believes in defunding the police, disarming them and disbanding them,” Cuomo said. “That's what he is.”
Mamdani attempted to distance himself from his past tweets, noting that they were from 2020.
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From left to right, mayoral candidates Independent candidate, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani participate in a mayoral debate, Thursday, October 16, 2025, in New York. (Angelina Katsanis, Pool/AP Photo)
The three candidates discussed their plans to address the housing crisis in New York City, and Mamdani's plan to “freeze rent” drew heavy criticism from Cuomo and Sliwa.
“Freezing rent only postpones rent,” Cuomo said of Mamdani's plan, arguing that many of Mamdani's opponents have argued that a rent freeze would do more harm than good to the housing stock.
Mamdani attempted to distance himself from his previous support for legislation to decriminalize prostitution and faced criticism from his two opponents on that issue.
Mamdani's past statements about Israel were another flashpoint during the debate. At one point, Mamdani said he “of course” supports the call for Hamas to disarm, despite dodging questions on that topic the day before in an interview with Fox News Channel.
“I have denounced Hamas time and time again and it will never be enough,” Mamdani said.
Republican Curtis Sliwa told Mamdani: “Jews do not trust that you will be there for them when they are victims of anti-Semitic attacks.”
Independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, left, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa participate in a mayoral debate, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, Swimming Pool)
Experience was also mentioned several times in the debate, focusing on Mamdani and Cuomo arguing that they were the candidate with the right resume to lead the city in the future.
“This is not a job for a beginner,” Cuomo said of Mamdani, adding that he has “literally never had a job.”
“Thank God I am not a professional politician because they have helped create this criminal crisis in the city that we face,” Sliwa said, criticizing the backgrounds of his two opponents.
Mamdani responded with a line directly to Cuomo on the topic of experience.
“What I don't have in experience, I make up for in integrity,” Mamdani told Cuomo. “What you don't have in integrity, you can never make up for in experience.”
With less than three weeks until Election Day, Mamdani has a double-digit lead in the race for the country's most populous city, but Cuomo is closing the gap, according to the latest public polls.
The increasingly tight race highlights how Cuomo's independent candidacy continues to draw support from disgruntled Democrats following Mayor Eric Adams' withdrawal from the race.
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Supporters of Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani gather in front of 30 Rock in New York City on Thursday, October 16, 2025. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)
Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist state legislator from the New York City borough of Queens who shocked the political world in June with his convincing victory. about cuomo and nine other candidates to capture the Democratic Party's mayoral nomination, has 46% support among likely voters in the most recent poll of the race, from Quinnipiac University.
Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 amid multiple scandals and who is running as an independent candidate in the general election after losing the primary, obtained 33% support in the survey, which was conducted from October 3 to 7.
Sliwa, who for the second consecutive election is the Republican candidate for mayor in the Democratic-dominated city, scored 15% in the poll.
The Quinnipiac survey was the only major survey in this field after Adamsa Democrat running for re-election as an independent, dropped out of the race.
In the previous Quinnipiac University poll, conducted in early September, Mamdani had a 22-point lead (45%-23%) over Cuomo, with Sliwa at 15% and Adams at 12%.
Despite Mamdani's lead in the race for Gracie Mansion, the Democratic Socialist has had difficulty gaining endorsements from national party leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
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Supporters of former Governor Andrew Cuomo gather outside 30 Rock in New York City on Thursday, October 16, 2025. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)
Mamdani recently earned the endorsement of Gov. Kathy Hochul, who joined Mamdani on the campaign trail this week, but has since refused to return the favor.
“It is a decision that should be made after this general election,” Mamdai said when asked if the candidates support Hochul for re-election.
