Socialist newcomer Zohran Mamdani stepped into the first general mayoral debate as the front-runner—and, according to a panel of Post political experts, he walked out holding that lead, despite strong showings from his challengers.
Ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, now running as an independent, and Republican challenger Curtis Sliwa didn’t hold back Thursday, relentlessly pressing the Democratic candidate on hot-button issues—from his past calls to defund the police to his stance on Israel and glaring lack of experience.
But even that might not be enough to shift the game.
Socialist newcomer Zohran Mamdani walked into the first general mayoral debate as the front-runner — and, according to a Post panel of political experts, walked out still holding that lead, despite strong performances from his challengers. NBC
“All the candidates did well — and that’s the problem for New Yorkers who don’t want a socialist mayor,” Republican strategist Bill O’Reilly told The Post.
“Will that be enough to change the nature of this race? We’ll see over the next few days.”
Lee Miringoff, director of Marist University’s Institute for Public Opinion, also poured cold water on the notion that any major shift could happen before the Nov. 4 election.
“I did not conclude from this debate any major shift in voter sentiment,” Miringoff said after the two-hour verbal showdown hosted by NBC 4 New York, Telemundo, and Politico.
“There was no ‘aha’ moment,” he said.
Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani addresses the audience during a heated mayoral debate at Rockefeller Center on Oct. 16, 2025, in New York City. Getty Images
A Fox News poll released just before the debate revealed Mamdani topping 50% for the first time in what’s been a fiercely contested race.
The Democratic socialist pulled in 52% of likely voters, while Cuomo and Sliwa lagged behind at 28% and 14%, respectively, according to the poll.
Veteran Democratic strategist Bill Cunningham said one of his key takeaways was that Mamdani stood firm, while Sliwa delivered a surprisingly strong performance.
But “I don’t think it’ll have much impact unless the 10% that’s sort of undecided starts to drift towards him, but that’s not enough to elect the mayor,” Cunningham said.
“I don’t think Mamdani lost any of his supporters and I don’t think Cuomo landed any punches that shook the race up.”
Republican strategist Rob Ryan praised Cuomo, the former three-term Democratic governor, for putting his experience on full display.
“He was well rehearsed and did his best to be affable, which is exceedingly hard for him,” he said, adding that Cuomo earned an A for proving he was the most knowledgeable candidate on the issues.
Independent candidate Andrew Cuomo addresses the audience during a mayoral debate in New York on Oct. 16, 2025. via REUTERS
But Post panelists praised Mamdani for staying on message and repeatedly bringing the focus back to his core theme of 'affordability' throughout the heated showdown at 30 Rockefeller Center.
“Whether or not you like what he has to say about Israel, Hamas, cops, gifted-and-talented schoolchildren, private property rights, higher taxes or legalized prostitution, Mamdani has maintained message discipline and control about the city’s unaffordability,” said Democratic operative Ken Frydman.
“That’s what wins elections.”
Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa addresses the audience during a mayoral debate at Rockefeller Center on Oct. 16, 2025, in New York City. Getty Images
Veteran political strategist Andrew Kirtzman noted that while Mamdani has vulnerabilities that could have made him an "easy target," his generationally sharp communication skills kept him from taking any serious hits during the debate.
Democratic operative and lobbyist Yvette Buckner pointed out that little has changed since Mamdani decisively defeated Cuomo in the June Democratic primary.
“Tonight’s debate was essentially a rerun of the primary. Mamdani stayed calm under fire, and Cuomo didn’t land the kind of punch that was needed to change the race this late in the game,” she said.
Ryan also praised Sliwa for delivering a strong performance.
“A new and mature Curtis Sliwa — sans red beret. Came off as serious and fairly well versed on issues,” he said.
“Also, he gets a gold star for not bringing up feral felines over the course of the debate.”
