Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo speaks throughout the New York Metropolis Democratic Mayoral Main Debate on the John Jay Faculty of Legal Justice within the Gerald W. Lynch Theater, in New York Metropolis, U.S., June 12, 2025. Vincent Alban/Pool by way of REUTERS
In a fiery and combative closing Democratic mayoral debate Thursday night time, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Queens Meeting Member Zohran Mamdani have been the primary sparring companions. Nevertheless, Cuomo took extra assaults from rivals who zeroed in on his previous governance, labor points, and authorized scandals in an effort to slender his lead.
The previous governor did have one ally on the stage: Whitney Tilson. The previous hedge fund supervisor was the one candidate to say who he would rank second on the poll, giving the reasonable Cuomo the nod. He stated after the talk that he has little interest in a job in a potential Cuomo administration, solely that he needs to cease the progressive Mamdani from profitable the race.
Mandami additionally got here after Cuomo for repeatedly mispronouncing his identify, saying, “You should learn how to say it ‘M‑A‑M‑D‑A‑N‑I.’”
Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo speaks throughout the New York Metropolis Democratic Mayoral Main Debate on the John Jay Faculty of Legal Justice within the Gerald W. Lynch Theater in New York Metropolis., U.S., June 12, 2025. Vincent Alban/Pool by way of REUTERS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
The Queens Meeting member additionally cited a mailer despatched out by a Cuomo-backed Tremendous PAC that darkened and lengthened his beard, which Zohran’s marketing campaign deemed Islamophobic.
Cuomo responded by mocking Mamdani’s expertise: “He’s never done anything” and asserting, “Experience matters,” referencing Mamdani’s fewer years in workplace and smaller employees in comparison with dealing with a metropolis paperwork.
Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani speaks throughout the New York Metropolis Democratic Mayoral Main Debate on the John Jay Faculty of Legal Justice within the Gerald W. Lynch Theater, in New York Metropolis, U.S., June 12, 2025. Vincent Alban/Pool by way of REUTERS
The strikes at Cuomo intensified as Lander and Myrie revisited the previous governor’s 2021 resignation following a number of sexual harassment allegations, which the previous governor denies.
“Everybody here knows that you sexually harassed women, that you created a toxic work environment,” stated Lander. “I don’t want to have to tell [a young woman], ‘Don’t go work at City Hall because the mayor is a sexual harasser.’”
New York Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander speaks throughout the New York Metropolis Democratic Mayoral Main Debate on the John Jay Faculty of Legal Justice within the Gerald W. Lynch Theater in New York Metropolis., U.S., June 12, 2025. Vincent Alban/Pool by way of REUTERS
Cuomo pushed again, calling the allegations “political” and insisting experiences had “cleared” him, to scattered boos.
He accused his critics of mendacity: “Those are just bold‑faced lies.”
Myrie then chimed in, “This is disqualifying, the man resigned in disgrace.”
After the talk, Legal professional Common Letitia James stated the report into the allegations was “thorough” and never political.
Concentrate on immigration
Democratic mayoral candidates attend the New York Metropolis Democratic Mayoral Main Debate on the John Jay Faculty of Legal Justice within the Gerald W. Lynch Theater, in New York Metropolis, U.S., June 12, 2025. Vincent Alban/Pool by way of REUTERS
Cuomo opened the immigration portion of the talk by invoking his previous confrontations with the Trump administration, saying, “He [Trump] sent troops into cities all across the country. He never sent them into New York because I said to him, ‘You better never send troops into New York… it would be a hostile act.’”
He pledged to guard the town’s sanctuary standing, declaring, “We are going to defend the laws of the sanctuary city. We have an NYPD that is the largest police force in the United States of America.”
However Mamdani pushed again, accusing the NYPD of aiding ICE even below sanctuary insurance policies.
“We also have the NYPD assisting ICE in some of those very missions right here in New York City,” he stated. He promised to sever these ties if elected mayor. “When I am the mayor, the NYPD will serve the public safety of New Yorkers. They will not assist Trump’s ICE agents.”
Lander confused that standing as much as Trump wasn’t nearly rhetoric.
“I stand up to bullies that don’t back down from a fight… we’re going to protect the 40% of New Yorkers who are immigrants,” he stated, recounting his visits to immigration courtroom to escort households previous ICE brokers.
Lander additionally leveled labor criticism, saying Cuomo “made immigrant subway cleaners … clean the subway cars but cheated them out of the prevailing wages and health care.”
Cuomo denied any involvement and referred to the cleaners as “illegals,” prompting jeers from the group.
“The MTA goes through a rigorous contracting process. They should never have hired illegal immigrants, if it is true… I had nothing to do with it,” he stated. When pressed, he stated sarcastically, “So every contract at the MTA, you want me to be held responsible?”
Tilson took goal at Mamdani with a extra veiled swipe, criticizing “a social media phenom with cute videos,” and warning voters to not assist “pie-in-the-sky promises that there’s no realistic plan to pay for.”
Mamdani countered by saying, “I’ll pay for it by taxing the rich … the same ones who are funding Andrew Cuomo’s campaign.”
Midway by means of the night, candidates have been allowed to ask one another a query, with Myrie and Stringer each setting Adrienne Adams up with softball questions that allowed her to put out her document as Speaker of the Metropolis Council.
After the talk, Adams stated she hoped the transfer meant the candidates have been planning to cross-endorse her. When requested by reporters, Myrie stated to “stay tuned.”
