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NEW YORK – New York City\u2019s three mayoral candidates<\/a> are gearing up for their final showdown just days before early voting begins.<\/p>\n Democratic frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, Independent contender and former Governor Andrew Cuomo, and Republican Curtis Sliwa will take the stage Wednesday night for the last debate of the race, one final chance to make their case to New Yorkers before ballots open.\u00a0<\/p>\n The debate begins at 7 p.m.<\/p>\n Follow along for live updates<\/a> and key moments as the debate unfolds.<\/p>\n SKIP TO: Live updates<\/a> | Meet the candidates<\/a> | Polls<\/a><\/p>\n From left, Mayoral candidates Independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani participate in a mayoral debate, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo\/Angelina <\/p>\n With Mamdani holding a commanding lead in the polls<\/a>, Cuomo and Sliwa face mounting pressure to make their case to voters on issues like crime, affordability and leadership.<\/p>\n The debate follows days of mounting pressure on Sliwa to drop out amid polls showing a tighter race without him.<\/p>\n How to watch the final mayoral debate <\/p>\n The two-hour debate, hosted by Spectrum NY1, The City, and WNYC\/Gothamist, is expected to spotlight the city\u2019s biggest concerns, affordability, crime, and leadership, as the crowded field narrows and the stakes reach their peak.<\/p>\n It will be available on their livestream here.<\/a><\/p>\n Follow along for live updates<\/a> and key moments as the debate unfolds.<\/p>\n 6:30 p.m.\u00a0<\/p>\n All three candidates have arrived.\u00a0<\/p>\n We’ll begin streaming live debate reaction and analysis on our YouTube page embedded below.\u00a0<\/p>\n Click here if you’re having trouble viewing<\/a><\/p>\n Who won the last one? <\/p>\n While no clear winner emerged, analysts say Mamdani held his lead by avoiding major missteps, Cuomo relied on his executive experience and Sliwa\u2019s offbeat humor and streetwise anecdotes, including stories about his mafia run-ins, made him an unlikely social media favorite.<\/p>\n Ben Max, host of the Max Politics podcast, joined Good Day New York on Friday morning with his analysis of the debate.<\/p>\n When asked if anyone won, Max said there were no “game changers” from the debate, meaning “Zohran Mamdani, as the front-runner, had a pretty good debate because he didn’t make any huge gaff and nobody brought him down significantly.”<\/p>\n Max added: “But I did think, in the debate itself, if you just look at how it was debated, Curtis Sliwa had a pretty good night.”<\/p>\n When is Election Day in NYC?\u00a0 <\/p>\n Election Day 2025 is Tuesday, Nov. 4, 13 days away.<\/p>\n Timeline, key dates Wednesday, Oct. 22: The second mayoral debate.Saturday, Oct. 25: Application for voter registration<\/a> must be received no later than Oct. 25.Saturday, Oct. 25 through Sunday, Nov. 2: The early voting period. Early voting hours<\/a> vary.Tuesday, Nov. 4: Election Day. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. <\/p>\n You can check your registration status online here.<\/a><\/p>\n To find your local poll site, click here.<\/a><\/p>\n Here’s a look at some of the latest polls in the race for NYC mayor:<\/p>\n A newly released report by Gotham Polling and the city AARP<\/a> found 44.6% of New Yorkers would vote for Mamdani if Sliwa quit the race, compared to 40.7% saying they\u2019d back Cuomo \u2013 with a margin of error of 4 points that puts Cuomo within striking distance.The latest Fox News poll shows<\/a> Mamdani with a 24-point lead among registered voters in New York City. He’s at 52% support among likely voters, while Cuomo polls at 28% and Sliwa polls at 13%.Quinnipiac University has Mamdani with a 13-point lead<\/a> in its latest poll, with Mamdani at 46% of the vote, while Cuomo and Sliwa poll at 33% and 15%, respectively. Betting odds <\/p>\n Some companies have begun taking what amounts to bets on the outcome of the NYC mayoral election.<\/p>\n Polymarket<\/a>: The latest odds from Polymarket show Mamdani at a 93% chance of winning.Kalshi<\/a>: The latest odds from Kalshi show Mamdani at a 91% chance of winning.Oddschecker<\/a>: Mamdani is at -2000<\/a> to win. <\/p>\n SKIP TO: Andrew Cuomo<\/a> | Zohran Mamdani<\/a> | Curtis Sliwa<\/a><\/p>\n Dig deeper:<\/p>\n Returning to the mayoral race after his 2021 defeat to New York City Mayor Eric Adams<\/a>, Curtis Sliwa<\/a>, 71, brings his tough-on-crime message back to the Republican forefront.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Guardian Angels<\/a> founder and radio host is banking on his core base in conservative outer-borough neighborhoods.<\/p>\n Sliwa\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n He has focused his campaign on public order and community-focused housing.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sliwa’s affordability plan <\/p>\n 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\u2019s Homeless Outreach Unit.<\/p>\n On education, he vows to overhaul the system to focus on measurable achievement, restore school safety agents and expand gifted and vocational programs.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sliwa also pledges to preserve traditional Medicare for retirees, and to improve city sanitation and pest control to promote public health.<\/p>\n Will Sliwa drop out? <\/p>\n President Donald Trump had previously said he wanted two candidates to drop out of the race, fueling speculation about whether Sliwa might step aside to avoid splitting the vote. But Sliwa has dismissed that idea outright.<\/p>\n “Absolutely no way. Under no circumstance,” he said. “You can\u2019t bribe me. You can\u2019t lease me. You can\u2019t rent me. I am running as the Republican candidate.”<\/p>\n Despite the uphill battle in a city that leans heavily Democratic, Sliwa\u2019s name recognition and combative style keep him relevant in the race.<\/p>\n After conceding defeat in the Democratic primary<\/a>, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo<\/a>, 67, has officially qualified to run as an independent in the general election, staging a late comeback that could reshape the race.\u00a0<\/p>\n Cuomo is presenting himself as a steady hand with deep experience, seeking to appeal to moderates, independents and disaffected Democrats wary of both Mamdani\u2019s progressivism and Sliwa\u2019s conservatism.<\/p>\n New York City mayoral candidates are turning to social media in an attempted to revitalize their campaigns, but is it working? Also, Republican Curtis Sliwa says he will take of his signature red beret for good if elected. FOX 5 NY’s Morgan McKay breaks down the state of the race.<\/p>\n He has focused his campaign on restoring public safety and affordability.<\/p>\n He calls for adding 5,000 officers to the NYPD and increasing patrols in subways and retail corridors.\u00a0<\/p>\n Cuomo’s housing plan <\/p>\n On housing, Cuomo supports building across income levels, enforcing rent-stabilization laws and offering tax relief for working- and middle-class residents.\u00a0<\/p>\n His education priorities include reducing class sizes, expanding after-school programs and addressing teacher shortages.\u00a0<\/p>\n Cuomo also wants more school-based health centers and expanded community health partnerships to improve access and pandemic preparedness.<\/p>\n At 34-years-old, Zohran Mamdani<\/a> stands out as a Democratic Socialist<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n His campaign is centered on housing, affordability and equity.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mamdani’s housing plan <\/p>\n Mamdani’s proposals include freezing rents for stabilized tenants, tripling the construction of permanently affordable housing and creating a citywide Office of Deed Theft Prevention to protect homeowners.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s pledged to disband the Strategic Response Group<\/a>, which he says has violated New Yorkers\u2019 rights.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mamdani\u2019s education plan calls for fully funded public schools, free child care for kids under five and major investments in CUNY.\u00a0<\/p>\n His health plan would expand city hospital funding, reject Medicare Advantage and create outreach teams to connect residents with coverage and care.<\/p>\n The Source: This report is based on information from FOX 5 NY.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ap25289831565664-scaled.jpg\")
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WATCH LIVE: NYC mayoral debate debrief (8 p.m.) <\/p>\n![\"Sliwa](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/BF73117B7031FC6737582E27C6C0EB1D.jpg\")
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Cuomo considering new strategy in NYC mayor race<\/a> <\/p>\n![\"Mamdani](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/97D93A3B862704B4CBCEBD6595CD4BC9.jpg\")
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