Final Debate Set for New York City Mayor Candidates

NEW YORK CITY, NY – The second and final debate in the New York City mayoral race will take place on Wednesday, October 22, just three days before early voting begins and less than two weeks ahead of Election Day on November 4. The debate will air on NY1.

In the first debate held on October 16, candidates Andrew Cuomo, Zohran Mamdani, and Curtis Sliwa discussed various topics including the treatment of asylum seekers and public safety measures. All three candidates were asked if they believed they could prevent asylum seekers with no criminal charges from being taken into custody. Cuomo stated he would assign attorneys to protect their legal rights.

Mamdani emphasized the importance of legal representation for these individuals, while Sliwa expressed that law enforcement should focus on criminals rather than hard-working migrants. ‘We need to protect the migrants who are essential workers,’ he said.

During the debate, Sliwa argued that he would ramp up enforcement against prostitution in New York City, distinguishing between victims and perpetrators. He said, ‘The women are victims… The madams and the pimps need to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.’

Mamdani responded by denying the legalization of prostitution while advocating for a focus on sex trafficking and violence against women.

Cuomo and Mamdani clashed over their political experience, with Cuomo questioning Mamdani’s qualifications, while Mamdani highlighted his legislative work. Cuomo said, ‘He literally never has had a job,’ while Mamdani countered, ‘What you don’t have in integrity, you could never make up for in experience.’

Both candidates also shared their proposed policies on housing and transportation. Mamdani vowed to freeze rent for nearly one million rent-stabilized apartments and improve public transportation access. He stated, ‘After Albany enacted one free bus line in each borough, there was no increase in homelessness on those buses.’

On October 22, the candidates aim to make a strong final impression on voters, as polling shows Mamdani leading with 43.2% support, followed by Cuomo at 28.9% and Sliwa at 19.4%.