NYC mayoral candidates conflict in debate over Gaza, police, housing

[ad_1] NEW Now you can take heed to Fox Information articles!

NEW YORK, N.Y. - The three males operating to be the subsequent mayor of New York Metropolis, the most important metropolis in the US, clashed on a number of events on the controversy stage Thursday night time on points starting from the conflict in Gaza to public security to housing prices.

Public security was mentioned all through the controversy, with Mamdani's previous disparaging feedback about police and his calls to defund the New York Metropolis Police Division taking heart stage.

"He believes in defunding the police, disarming the police, disbanding the police," Cuomo mentioned. "That is who he's."

Mamdani tried to distance himself from his previous tweets, declaring that they have been from 2020.

HERE'S EVERYTHING YOU MISSED FROM ZOHRAN MAMDANI'S FIRST FOX NEWS INTERVIEW

From left, Mayoral candidates Impartial candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani take part in a mayoral debate, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. (Angelina Katsanis, Pool/ AP Picture)

All three candidates mentioned their plans to deal with the housing disaster in New York Metropolis with Mamdani's plan to "freeze the lease" drawing sharp criticism from Cuomo and Sliwa.

"Freeze the lease solely postpones the lease," Cuomo mentioned about Mamdani's plan, making the case that a lot of Mamdani's opponents have made that lease freezes would do more harm than good to housing inventory.

Mamdani tried to distance himself from his past support of laws to decriminalize prostitution and confronted criticism from each his opponents on that topic.

Mamdani's previous statements on Israel have been one other flashpoint through the debate. At one level, Mamdani mentioned, "after all" he helps calling on Hamas to disarm, regardless of dodging questions on that topic the day prior to this in an interview with Fox News Channel.

"I've denounced Hamas time and time once more and it'll by no means be sufficient," Mamdani mentioned.

Republican Curtis Sliwa instructed Mamdani, "Jews do not belief that you're going to be there for them when they're victims of anti-Semitic assaults."

Impartial candidate, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, left, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa take part in a mayoral debate, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Picture/Angelina Katsanis, Pool)

Expertise was additionally introduced up a number of occasions within the debate, centered on Mamdani and Cuomo making the case that they have been the candidate with the suitable resume to steer town going ahead.

"This isn't a job for a primary timer," Cuomo mentioned of Mamdani, including, "he is actually by no means had a job."

"Thank God I’m not an expert politician as a result of they've helped create this crime disaster within the metropolis that we face," Sliwa mentioned, criticizing each of his opponents' information.

Mamdani shot again with a line instantly at Cuomo on the expertise situation.

"What I don’t have in expertise, I make up for in integrity," Mamdani mentioned to Cuomo. "What you don’t have in integrity, you might by no means make up for in expertise."

With underneath three weeks till Election Day, Mamdani holds a double-digit lead within the race for the nation's most populous metropolis, however Cuomo is narrowing the hole, in keeping with the most recent public polling.

The tightening contest underscores how Cuomo’s unbiased bid continues to attract assist from disaffected Democrats following embattled Mayor Eric Adams’ withdrawal from the race.

‘ABSOLUTELY A COMMUNIST’: MAMDANI DODGES LABEL, BUT HIS RECORD AND EXPERT SAY OTHERWISE

Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani supporters collect outdoors 30 Rock in New York Metropolis on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox Information Digital)

Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist state lawmaker from the New York Metropolis borough of Queens who shocked the political world in June together with his convincing win over Cuomo and 9 different candidates to seize the Democratic Occasion's mayoral nomination, stands at 46% assist amongst possible voters in the newest survey within the race, from Quinnipiac College.

Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 amid a number of scandals and who's operating as an unbiased candidate within the common election after dropping the first, had 33% assist within the survey, which was carried out Oct. 3–7.

Sliwa, who for a second straight election is the Republican mayoral nominee within the Democratic-dominated metropolis, stood at 15% within the ballot.

Quinnipiac's survey was the one main ballot within the subject completely after Adams , a Democrat who was operating for re-election as an unbiased, dropped out of the race.

In Quinnipiac College's earlier ballot, carried out in early September, Mamdani held a 22-point 45%-23% lead over Cuomo, with Sliwa at 15% and Adams at 12%.

Regardless of Mamdani's lead within the race for Gracie Mansion, the democratic socialist has struggled to safe endorsements from nationwide celebration leaders, together with Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo supporters collect outdoors 30 Rock in New York Metropolis on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox Information Digital)

Mamdani did lately safe an endorsement from Gov. Kathy Hochul, who joined Mamdani on the marketing campaign path this week, however has since refused to return the favor. "It is a determination that must be made after this common election," Mamdai mentioned when requested if the candidates are supporting Hochul for re-election.