By the way—have you been listening to the Hell Gate Podcast? This week's episode will drop later today. For the latest on the mayor's race, you won't want to miss it. You can listen here, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Andrew Cuomo's scandal-scarred record as governor stole the show at the second and final televised debate of the 2025 Democratic mayoral primary, as his rivals pummeled him with withering attacks for which he had no real answers.
The debate, sponsored and moderated by NY1, WNYC/Gothamist, and the CITY and held at CUNY's John Jay College of Criminal Justice, was a marked improvement over last week's WNBC shout-fest, and arrived as polls show Zohran Mamdani narrowly trailing (and in one small poll, leading) Cuomo in the race.
"Mr. Mamdani has a staff of five people," Cuomo said, butchering Mamdani's last name during a question about experience. "He's never done any of the essentials."
"To Mr. Cuomo: I have never had to resign in disgrace. I have never cut Medicaid. I have never stolen hundreds of millions of dollars from the MTA. I have never hounded the 13 women who credibly accused me of sexual harassment. I have never sued for their gynecological records, and I have never done those things because I am not you, Mr. Cuomo," Mamdani fired back, to cheers.