NYC mayor candidates maintain closing debate earlier than early voting begins Saturday

New York Metropolis mayoral contenders relentlessly criticized their opponents as they made their closing pitch to voters Wednesday evening within the final debate earlier than early voting begins this Saturday. 

Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, Unbiased candidate and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa as soon as once more traded barbs on the controversy stage, assembly for the second time in lower than every week.

Wednesday’s debate at LaGuardia Group School in Lengthy Island Metropolis got here as billionaires referred to as for Sliwa to drop out of the mayoral race this week to consolidate help for Cuomo towards Mamdani, and as greater than 650 rabbis nationwide, together with these from the biggest New York Metropolis synagogues, signed an open letter condemning Mamdani for what they mentioned was anti-Israel rhetoric. 

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Each points have been on full show Wednesday evening, because the moderators pressed Sliwa about staying within the race and Mamdani fielded questions on his help for Israel. 

When requested if Mamdani has any regrets about his “longstanding” anti-Israel views, the Democratic socialist affirmed his dedication to defending Jewish New Yorkers. 

“You will not denounce ‘globalize the intifada,’ which implies, ‘Kill Jews.’ There’s unprecedented concern in New York. It was not a number of rabbis. It was 650 rabbis who signed the letter, not a number of,” Cuomo mentioned. Whereas Mamdani refused to sentence the phrase “globalize the intifada” through the main, he has since mentioned he would “discourage” others from utilizing the slogan. 

“I’ve heard from Jewish New Yorkers about their fears about antisemitism on this metropolis and what they deserve is a frontrunner who takes it significantly, who roots it out of those 5 boroughs, not one who weaponizes it as a way by which to attain political factors on a debate stage,” Mamdani fired again in a fiery second on the controversy stage. 

Sliwa additionally chimed in, telling Mamdani that Jewish New Yorkers are “frightened” and “scared.”

“They view you because the arsonist who fanned the flames of antisemitism,” Sliwa charged, whereas accusing him of being in help of the “international jihad.” New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand needed to difficulty an apology earlier this 12 months for “mischaracterizing Mamdani’s file” when she made the identical implication. 

“I’ve by no means, not as soon as, spoken in help of worldwide jihad,” Mamdani mentioned. “That isn’t one thing that I’ve mentioned and that continues to be ascribed to me. And albeit, I believe a lot of it has to do with the truth that I’m the primary Muslim candidate to be on the precipice of profitable this election.”

Moderators for the ultimate New York Metropolis mayoral debate have been Spectrum Information NY1 Political Anchor Errol Louis, WNYC’s Brian Lehrer and THE CITY’s Katie Honan. 

The primary query posed to candidates throughout Wednesday’s debate targeted on the federal raid in New York Metropolis’s Chinatown neighborhood on Tuesday that led to the arrest of 9 migrants from West Africa who have been in the US illegally, based on the Division of Homeland Safety and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

All three candidates agreed that the Trump administration was past its jurisdiction on Tuesday. Cuomo referred to as the raid “harmful.”

“You do not ship ICE in with out coordinating with our police,” Cuomo mentioned, arguing he would have personally referred to as President Donald Trump if he was mayor to inform him the administration was “method out of bounds.” Sliwa agreed that the matter ought to have been left as much as the NYPD. 

Mamdani took the criticism a step additional, calling ICE a “reckless entity that cares little for the regulation and even much less for the individuals that they are imagined to serve,” and urging an “finish to the chapter of collaboration between Metropolis Corridor and the federal authorities, which we have seen underneath” Mayor Eric Adams, who’s not in search of re-election and constructed a repute for his willingness to collaborate with the Trump administration on immigration reform. 

At one level, candidates have been allowed to ask their opponents a query, sparking a tense second between Cuomo and Mamdani. Cuomo questioned how Mamdani might pose for a photograph with an anti-LGBTQ advocate. Mamdani mentioned had he recognized, he would not have agreed to take the image. 

Mamdani clapped again, asking Cuomo,”What do you say to the 13 girls that you simply sexually harassed?” Cuomo has continued to disclaim the allegations and mentioned the instances have been dropped. 

The newest Fox Information survey, carried out Oct. 10-14, forward of the primary basic election debate final week, revealed that Mamdani has gained a considerable lead within the New York Metropolis mayoral race as voters see him as the perfect candidate to sort out town’s high issues. 

In line with the ballot, Mamdani has a 21-point lead amongst New York Metropolis registered voters with 49% of voters backing Mamdani, whereas 28% go for Cuomo and 13% favor Sliwa. Mamdani additionally rose above the 50% threshold amongst possible voters, garnering 52% help, whereas Cuomo picked up 28%, and Sliwa obtained simply 14%.

However as Mamdani, ever the social media-savvy candidate, warned his followers on Wednesday, it was Cuomo who was the favourite to win the nomination simply weeks earlier than the Democratic main. By consolidating help with New York Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander, cross-endorsing one another to topple Cuomo by means of ranked-choice voting, Mamdani pulled the political upset that has since landed him on the nationwide stage. 

Since profitable the first, Trump has labeled Mamdani a “100% Communist Lunatic” and “my little Communist.” Mamdani has rejected that moniker, affirming that he’s a democratic socialist. 

However, the odd-year election has captivated a nationwide viewers at a time when Democrats are nonetheless grappling with devastating losses final 12 months. And with Trump again within the White Home, Democrats nationwide are in search of to capitalize on rising discontent over Trump’s sweeping, second-term agenda. 

Lower than two hours earlier than candidates took the stage on Wednesday, The New York Instances reported that Mamdani intends to maintain New York Metropolis Police Division (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch on as his police commissioner if elected in November, citing two senior marketing campaign aides and two extra sources who have been briefed on the plans. 

“I can affirm that reporting,” Mamdani mentioned on the controversy stage. “My administration will likely be relentless in its pursuit of security and affordability for each New Yorker, and the supply of that may require us to place collectively a workforce of the perfect and the brightest.”

Mamdani applauded Tisch for taking up a “damaged established order constitution to ship accountability, rooting out corruption and lowering crime throughout the 5 boroughs.” Cuomo and Sliwa additionally confirmed they’d preserve her on as commissioner if elected. 

The Democratic nominee has confronted a slew of criticism on the marketing campaign trial for his previous feedback, together with calling the NYPD “racist, anti‑queer & a significant menace to public security” in 2020, amongst different insults. Mamdani made a public apology to the NYPD throughout a Fox Information interview final week. 

Forward of these aggressive midterm elections anticipated subsequent 12 months, Republicans have already seized on Mamdani’s progressive politics, together with Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who’s contemplating a run for governor. Her marketing campaign mentioned in a current assertion, “Kathy Hochul actually has endorsed a full blown jihadist pro-terrorism Mayor of New York Metropolis.”

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Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., endorsed Mamdani final month after beforehand withholding her help. Fellow New York Democrats Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer have nonetheless but to coalesce behind the Democratic nominee for New York Metropolis mayor, though Jeffries indicated this week {that a} resolution is imminent. 

This week, Crimson Apple Media CEO John Catsimatidis and hedge fund CEO Invoice Ackman, urged Sliwa to drop out of the race, arguing {that a} vote for Sliwa is a vote for Mamdani. The New York Put up editorial board even joined the requires Sliwa to drop out, however the Republican nominee has maintained that he’s staying within the race. 

Fox Information’ Kirill Clark contributed to this report.