New York City’s mayoral candidates battled it out in their first general election debate Thursday night. Candidates Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa discussed everything from the Israel-Hamas war to the city’s education system.
In addition to political topics, the candidates also made insightful statements when asked about their weekly grocery bills and whether they had purchased legal marijuana.
Here are some of the notable moments:
The Middle East and Religion
Mamdani, the Democratic candidate, wasted no time in cleaning up comments he made in an interview on Fox News earlier this week in which he sidestepped a question about whether Hamas should lay down its arms.
In the Fox interview, Mamdani said: “I have no real opinion about the future of Hamas and Israel, other than the question of justice and security and the fact that everything has to comply with international law.”
On Thursday he made his statement clear. “Of course I think they should lay down their weapons,” he said.
Cuomo, who lost to Mamdani in the Democratic primary and is running as an independent candidate, heavily courted the city’s Jewish voters during his campaign and described Mamdani as unsympathetic to anti-Semitism concerns.
“Why shouldn’t he condemn Hamas?” Cuomo asked during the debate.
Asked if he thought Mamdani was anti-Semitic, Cuomo said: “I don’t judge people. Are you a racist, are you an anti-Semitic? I know there are a lot of Jews who think he’s anti-Semitic.”
Meanwhile, Cuomo has faced pressure over his relationship with the city’s Muslim community and his failure to visit mosques as governor.
In response, Cuomo said he did not believe Mamdani — who would be the city’s first Muslim mayor if elected — was “a representative of the Muslim community.”
Mamdani responded: “Andrew Cuomo had to be beaten by a Muslim candidate in the Democratic primary to set foot in a mosque.”
Sliwa would like a word
Those familiar with Sliwa may have noticed something missing Thursday night: the distinctive red beret that has sat atop the Republican candidate’s head since he founded the criminal investigation group Guardian Angels in the tardy 1970s.
Sliwa temporarily took off his hat during his election campaign. But he refrained from doing so entirely during the debate, declaring at one point that he was “looking very mayoral tonight.” A miniature brown streak could be seen across his forehead, a testament to his devotion to the accessory.
The Republican, a long-time fixture on local radio and television, is a larger-than-life tabloid figure with a quintessentially New York gift for oratory. He didn’t disappoint on Thursday.
Asked how he gets around the city when he can’t take the subway, Sliwa said: “I try to avoid yellow taxis. As you know, I was shot by the Gottis and the Gambinos in the back seat of a yellow taxi in 1992.”
But he conceded when necessary: “I Uber.”
During the debate, Sliwa – who was on stage between Mamdani and Cuomo – sometimes found it challenging to speak as his two opponents argued.
“I am excluded by this,” said Sliwa.
But he also used his closeness to Cuomo to frequently attack the former governor.
After Cuomo claimed that President Donald Trump was “caving in” in arguments against him, Sliwa responded: “I know you think you’re the toughest guy in the world, but let me tell you something: You lost your own primary, didn’t you? You were rejected by your fellow Democrats. You have a difficult time understanding the term ‘no.’
“I agree with Curtis,” Mamdani agreed.
Andrew Cuomo blames TikTok
During the Democratic primary, Cuomo avoided unscripted public events and his opponents, instead relying on his near-universal name recognition and a multimillion-dollar campaign fundraising apparatus.
On Thursday, Cuomo attributed his primary loss largely to his social media presence.
“I think in the primary campaign I didn’t do enough on social media, which has become a very effective medium. I think the congressman did a better job on TikTok and social media than I did during the campaign, and that’s changed now,” said Cuomo, 67.
“I have also increased my activities significantly, but my plan is exactly the same,” he added.
In a follow-up question, a moderator asked whether Cuomo had learned a deeper lesson from the primary results, and he replied: “Between the two campaigns, social media, more accessibility.”
Cost of living
When asked how much they spend on groceries per week, the candidates all gave similar numbers: Cuomo said $150, Sliwa said $175 and Mamdani said $125 to $150.
But when asked about their monthly rent or mortgage payment, the costs showed a stark contrast: Cuomo’s housing costs were $7,800, Sliwa’s was $3,900 and Mamdani’s was $2,300.
Both Cuomo and Sliwa noted that Mamdani’s home — a one-bedroom apartment in Queens that he shares with his wife — is one of the city’s many rent-stabilized apartments.
Cuomo argued, as he has before, that the state lawmaker’s apartment should be occupied by “a poor person” — even though the apartments, which make up about 40% of the city’s rental stock, are currently open to people of all incomes.
Do you have weed?
New York legalized recreational marijuana several years ago, opening the door for legal marijuana shops across the state.
Candidates were asked if they had ever purchased weed from one of the state-run pharmacies.
“I did,” Mamdani said with a substantial smile on her face. “I purchased marijuana from a legal cannabis store.”
Cuomo said he didn’t.
While Sliwa replied: “When I was shot five times, I had Crohn’s disease, I used medical marijuana, yes.”
