New York (AFP) – A socialist, an accused molester, and a vigilante are all hoping to be New York’s next mayor as they go head-to-head for a TV debate Thursday, marking the homestretch of an unpredictable campaign. Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, independent former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, and Republican Curtis Sliwa will present their pitches to voters in the first of two televised debates, starting at 7 pm local time (2300 GMT) ahead of the November 4 vote. Early voting begins on October 25.
New York’s astronomical cost of living, public safety, policing, and the candidates’ differing approaches to relations with President Donald Trump if elected will take center stage. Mamdani pulled off a stunning upset in the Democratic primary, defeating political scion Cuomo, who had been the frontrunner for weeks, and becoming the party’s official nominee. Mamdani has promised free bus services, rent freezes, and city-run supermarkets, which Cuomo has dismissed as fanciful and unaffordable government overreach.
The race to govern the city’s 8.5 million residents was further complicated when sitting mayor Eric Adams, who is facing corruption allegations, quit the race without endorsing another candidate. Cuomo, 67, served as the governor of New York state from 2011 until 2021 when he resigned amid sexual assault allegations, having previously been a cabinet secretary under former president Bill Clinton. Mamdani, 33, is a state lawmaker representing the Queens borough of New York and has faced criticism regarding his relative youth in a typically older political landscape.
In addressing concerns about his age, Mamdani stated, “I know some of you have expressed concerns about my age…That’s why this weekend I’ll be making a change. I’m turning 34.” He further expressed a desire to “beat Andrew Cuomo a second time” in an Instagram video that garnered 134,000 likes within the first six hours. Trump has threatened to withhold federal funds from Mamdani’s administration if he wins, labeling him a “communist.” However, in a Fox News interview, Mamdani addressed Trump directly and remarked, “I will, however, be a mayor who is ready to speak at any time to lower the cost of living.”
Quinnipiac University polling indicates that most voters are unlikely to change their minds following the TV debate, with only 18 percent of Mamdani and Cuomo’s supporters being “not likely” to shift their allegiance, compared to 24 percent of Sliwa’s backers. In the latest poll, Sliwa, a 71-year-old founder of the Guardian Angels vigilante group from 1979, is trailing with 15 percent, behind Cuomo’s 33 percent and Mamdani’s 46 percent.
Sliwa insisted he would not bow to alleged inducements from Cuomo, who denies the claims, to exit the race, asserting that offers of lucrative jobs with hefty salaries and a driver constituted “bribery” that could be criminal. “I said, ‘Hey, this is not only unethical, it’s bribery, and it could be criminal,” Sliwa told AFP.
Viewing parties are planned in bars across the city, with several establishments featuring debate bingo drinking games. Voter Steven Looez, a 41-year-old bartender, expressed skepticism about the candidates’ potential to address the cost of living, stating, “I have very little optimism that they’re going to do anything with the cost of living to match what we have to pay. Besides, it feels like they’re all bought anyway.” The second televised debate is scheduled for October 22.
© 2024 AFP
