The Brief
The first NYC mayoral debate takes place this week, airing on WNBC and Telemundo 47 in partnership with POLITICO.
The debate will cover hot button issues like public safety, affordable housing, transit reliability, and the city’s leadership priorities.
The event comes just days before early voting begins, giving New Yorkers a key opportunity to hear directly from the candidates before heading to the polls.
NEW YORK – Just days before early voting begins, New York City’s mayoral candidates will take the stage at 30 Rockefeller Plaza for their first debate this Thursday, giving voters a clearer look at where each contender stands on the city’s biggest challenges.
The race has narrowed to three major candidates: a Democrat, a Republican, and an Independent, each vying to convince New Yorkers they’re best suited to lead the city forward.
What we know
The live debate kicks off at 7 p.m. and will air on WNBC and Telemundo 47 in partnership with POLITICO.
The event will focus on key issues including public safety, affordable housing, transit reliability, and the future of city leadership as New Yorkers prepare to head to the polls.
Here’s a look at the candidates and where they stand on the major issues shaping this race.
Meet the candidates
SKIP TO: Andrew Cuomo | Zohran Mamdani | Curtis Sliwa
Curtis Sliwa (R)
Returning to the mayoral race after his 2021 defeat to Eric Adams, Curtis Sliwa brings his tough-on-crime message back to the Republican forefront. The Guardian Angels founder and outspoken radio host is banking on his core base in conservative outer-borough neighborhoods.
Sliwa’s law-and-order platform remains central, and he has wasted no time labeling Mamdani “too extreme for this city,” positioning himself as the voice of traditional values and public safety.
He has focused his campaign on public order and community-focused housing.
Sliwa’s affordability plan
His seven-point housing plan includes converting empty commercial spaces into homes, restoring vacant rent-controlled units, and returning zoning control to local neighborhoods. Sliwa supports hiring thousands of new police officers and reinstating the NYPD’s Homeless Outreach Unit.
On education, he vows to overhaul the system to focus on measurable achievement, restore school safety agents, and expand gifted and vocational programs.
Sliwa also pledges to preserve traditional Medicare for retirees and improve city sanitation and pest control to promote public health.
Andrew Cuomo (I)
After conceding defeat in the Democratic primary, former Governor Andrew Cuomo has officially qualified to run as an independent in the general election, staging a late comeback that could reshape the race. Cuomo is presenting himself as a steady hand with deep experience, seeking to appeal to moderates, independents, and disaffected Democrats wary of both Mamdani’s progressivism and Sliwa’s conservatism.
He has focused his campaign on restoring public safety and affordability.
He calls for adding 5,000 officers to the NYPD and increasing patrols in subways and retail corridors.
Cuomo’s housing plan
On housing, Cuomo supports building across income levels, enforcing rent-stabilization laws, and offering tax relief for working- and middle-class residents.
His education priorities include reducing class sizes, expanding after-school programs, and addressing teacher shortages.
Cuomo also wants more school-based health centers and expanded community health partnerships to improve access and pandemic preparedness.
Zohran Mamdani (D)
At 33, Zohran Mamdani stands out as a Democratic Socialist and a rising star in New York City politics. As a state assemblyman, Mamdani surged ahead on a fiercely progressive platform promising rent freezes, fare-free public transit, universal childcare, and an unprecedented push for public housing expansion.
His campaign is centered on housing, affordability, and equity.
Mamdani’s housing plan
He proposes freezing rents for stabilized tenants, tripling the construction of permanently affordable housing, and creating a citywide Office of Deed Theft Prevention to protect homeowners.
On public safety, Mamdani would form a Department of Community Safety to handle mental health and homelessness responses, while maintaining NYPD staffing but cutting overtime. He’s pledged to disband the Strategic Response Group, which he says has violated New Yorkers’ rights.
Mamdani’s education plan calls for fully funded public schools, free child care for kids under five, and major investments in CUNY.
His health plan would expand city hospital funding, reject Medicare Advantage, and create outreach teams to connect residents with coverage and care.
The Source
This report is based on information from interviews with the candidates and their respective websites.