New York City’s mayoral race has always had a knack for attracting attention, but the 2025 contest has become a national spectacle, drawing eyes from far beyond the five boroughs. On Thursday, October 16, the city’s three leading candidates—Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, and Curtis Sliwa—will face off in the first of two televised debates at Rockefeller Center, just weeks before voters head to the polls on November 4. As New Yorkers prepare to tune in, the stakes have rarely felt higher, with the outcome poised to reverberate across the Democratic Party and the broader American political landscape.
The debate, hosted by NBC 4 New York/WNBC, Telemundo 47/WNJU, and Politico New York, kicks off at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. For those unable to catch it on traditional television, a host of streaming options will be available, including live broadcasts on WNBC’s and WNJU’s digital platforms, as well as streaming on sites like Politico and The New York Times. Spanish translation, sign-language interpretation, and closed-captioning will ensure broad accessibility, reflecting the city’s celebrated diversity.
At center stage is Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assemblyman and democratic socialist who, in June, stunned political observers by winning the Democratic nomination over former Governor Andrew Cuomo. According to BBC, Mamdani clinched the primary by nearly 13 points, a margin that signaled a seismic shift within the party’s local base. And the momentum hasn’t slowed—recent Quinnipiac University polls from October 9 show Mamdani leading with 46% support, Cuomo trailing at 33%, and Republican Curtis Sliwa at 15%. Other polls echo this double-digit lead, though political experts caution that nothing is set in stone.
Mamdani’s rapid rise is all the more remarkable given his outsider status. Born in Uganda and raised in New York from age seven, he’s the first Muslim and South Asian candidate to lead a major party’s ticket in the city’s history. His platform is unapologetically progressive: rent freezes, a surge in affordable housing construction, city-owned grocery stores to combat food insecurity, and free bus service. According to Politico New York, he’s also leaned into his roots and the city’s diversity, harnessing the energy of young voters and a digital-savvy volunteer army. Endorsements from national figures like Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have only boosted his profile.
Yet, Mamdani’s ascent has not come without fierce opposition. President Donald Trump, himself a native of Queens, has taken a personal interest in the race, repeatedly attacking Mamdani as a “communist”—a charge that’s both false and politically loaded. Trump has gone so far as to threaten to withhold federal funds from New York if Mamdani is elected. “I think he’s terrible,” Trump said after Mamdani’s primary win, as reported by Al Jazeera. “I think he’s bad news, and I think I’m gonna have a lot of fun with him, watching him, because he has to come right through this building to get his money.” Trump added, “If they go this route, I think they’re crazy.”
The Democratic establishment, for its part, has kept its distance. Neither Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer nor House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has endorsed Mamdani—or Cuomo, for that matter. It’s a rare moment of unity in non-endorsement, reflecting the party’s internal divisions and uncertainty about the city’s political direction.
Andrew Cuomo, 67, is no stranger to the spotlight. The son of former Governor Mario Cuomo, he served as New York’s governor for a decade, passing landmark legislation on marriage equality, paid family leave, and gun control. But his political career was derailed in 2021 after a state attorney general’s investigation found he had sexually harassed 11 women while in office, leading to his resignation. After losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani in June, Cuomo announced his intention to continue his campaign as an independent, hoping to rally disaffected Democrats and moderates wary of Mamdani’s leftward tilt.
Cuomo’s platform centers on familiar ground: increasing affordable housing, expanding healthcare, and improving transportation. He’s positioned himself as a pragmatic alternative, but as New York University politics professor Patrick Egan told BBC, “He is part of the political establishment at a time when a lot of voters don’t want anything to do with the establishment.” Still, Cuomo’s name recognition and experience make him a formidable presence, especially as polls suggest some former supporters of outgoing Mayor Eric Adams have shifted to his camp.
Speaking of Adams, the incumbent mayor exited the race in late September after a tumultuous term marked by corruption scandals and slumping poll numbers. Adams, who faced a federal investigation into alleged quid pro quo dealings with the Turkish government, ultimately saw the charges dropped after President Trump’s Justice Department intervened. In his withdrawal video, Adams said, “I was wrongfully charged because I fought for this city,” blaming “the constant media speculation” for undermining his campaign. His exit, according to Al Jazeera, was seen by some as a move encouraged by Trump to consolidate opposition to Mamdani.
Curtis Sliwa, 71, rounds out the field as the Republican contender. A longtime anti-crime activist and founder of the Guardian Angels, Sliwa is a familiar figure in New York’s political scene, known for his signature red beret and tough-on-crime rhetoric. He previously ran for mayor in 2021, securing 27% of the vote in a city that leans heavily Democratic. While Sliwa trails in the polls, his candidacy could influence the final outcome by siphoning votes from those wary of both Mamdani’s progressivism and Cuomo’s establishment ties.
The issues on tap for Thursday’s debate are as urgent as they are familiar: affordability, housing, transportation, and the city’s $4 billion budget deficit. But the contest is also shadowed by national and international concerns, none more divisive than the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict. Mamdani has been an outspoken supporter of Palestinian rights, denouncing Israel’s actions in Gaza—which have killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians, according to Al Jazeera—as genocide, echoing the views of many rights groups and a majority of Democratic voters. Cuomo, a strong supporter of Israel, has recently softened his tone, calling the violence “horrific” in a September interview with The New York Times. The debate is likely to surface these differences, offering voters a clear view of the candidates’ values and priorities.
As New York prepares for a pivotal election, the city finds itself at a crossroads. The three candidates—each with starkly different visions—represent not just policy choices but competing narratives about the city’s future. Thursday’s debate promises to be more than political theater; it’s a preview of the direction New Yorkers may choose for themselves, and perhaps, for the nation.
