New York City’s final mayoral debate Wednesday night was less a policy discussion and more an all-out brawl — a political street fight that laid bare just how fractured the city’s leadership has become. Three men, three ideologies, and one clear takeaway: the Left is eating itself alive.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, once the Democratic Party’s golden boy, squared off against far-left socialist Zohran Mamdani and Republican Curtis Sliwa in a chaotic, insult-heavy face-off. With just weeks until Election Day, the tone said everything about where the city stands — angry, divided, and drifting further from the values that once made New York thrive.
Cuomo, looking to claw his way back into relevance after his 2021 resignation scandal, came out swinging against Mamdani’s lack of leadership experience. “[Trump] has said he’ll take over New York if he wins, and he will, because he has no respect for him. He thinks he’s a kid and he’s going to knock him on his tuchas,” Cuomo said, in an awkward attempt to invoke Trump as a measuring stick for toughness.
Mamdani, the 34-year-old assemblyman running on a radical socialist platform, fired back with a familiar left-wing talking point: “You could turn on the TV any day of the week, and you will hear Donald Trump share that his pick for Mayor is Andrew Cuomo… because it will be good for him.”
Then came Sliwa — the Republican firebrand and founder of the Guardian Angels — who refused to let Cuomo’s past go unchallenged. “Andrew, you didn’t leave. You fled from being impeached by the Democrats in the state legislature. You fled!” he said, drawing the first real applause of the night.
From there, the gloves were off. Cuomo accused Mamdani of never having “run a government” or “handled an emergency,” and of padding his salary while skipping work. “You had the worst attendance record in the assembly, and you gave yourself the highest raise in the United States of America,” Cuomo shouted. “Shame on you! Shame on you!”
Mamdani smirked, deflecting the criticism with spin. “We just had a former governor say in his own words that the city has been getting screwed by the state. Who was leading the state? It was you!”
The debate devolved into chaos when Mamdani dodged a basic question about his position on housing ballot initiatives — a key issue for struggling renters and landlords alike. “What is your opinion, Zohran? Come on!” shouted Sliwa, as Cuomo mocked him by rocking back and forth, sneering, “It’s a TikTok dance.”
When pressed again by moderators, Mamdani finally admitted, “I have not yet taken a position on those ballot initiatives.” Cuomo laughed, “Don’t worry, once he takes it, he’ll change it anyway.”
But the night turned serious when the topic of antisemitism arose — an issue that has rocked New York’s Jewish community amid global unrest. Sliwa, whose sons are Jewish, confronted Mamdani directly. “Let me speak on behalf of my two sons when they’ve heard some of the statements you’ve made, like in support of global jihad… They’re frightened; they’re scared,” he said. “They view you as the arsonist who fanned the flames of antisemitism.”
“You’ve got a lot of explaining to do,” Sliwa continued. “Many in the Jewish community are concerned if you become mayor… that you will not be able to put out those flames of hate.”
Mamdani denied ever supporting “global jihad,” claiming the criticism stems from the fact that he’s Muslim. But his record of aligning with anti-Israel activists and refusing to condemn pro-Hamas demonstrations speaks louder than words. His attempt to pivot to identity politics did little to ease concerns about where his loyalties truly lie.
Cuomo wasn’t spared either. When it came time for open questioning, Mamdani hit back hard, invoking Cuomo’s own scandals. “The issue is that we have all experienced your experience,” Mamdani said. “We experienced you taking a $5 million book deal while you sent seniors to their deaths in nursing homes… cutting funding for the MTA to send money to upstate ski resorts… giving $959 million in tax breaks to Elon Musk.”
Cuomo dismissed the attacks, insisting, “You’ve accomplished nothing.”
For voters watching, it was an ugly reminder of just how lost New York’s political class has become. The city that once symbolized American resilience is now defined by infighting, moral confusion, and leadership that panders to ideology over accountability.
Curtis Sliwa, the lone conservative voice on stage, stood out not because of polish, but because of clarity. While the Left bickered over identity politics and socialist talking points, Sliwa spoke directly about public safety, family values, and the need to restore basic order.
In a city that’s seen crime soar, taxes rise, and faith in leadership crumble, New Yorkers may be ready to give common sense another look.
Cuomo and Sliwa can agree on one thing. Becoming socialist will be the end of NYC. ALL that money that keeps NYC running will be moving elsewhere asap. A lot of that money may be moving already. NYC also has some of the best doctors in the world how long will they stick around when they aren’t being paid? Defunding the police – where I lived the fireman/paramedics would not respond to a lot of scenes until there was a police presence for protection. Who will secure JFK & LaGuardia? The city will run amok, all of the tourist will not come, those high rise buildings will be vacant and abandonned, they will start going into decay. Either way the people of NYC have their own fate in their own hands.