The Bigger Apple: Final Debate & Populism

L-R Democratic mayoral candidates Andrew Cuomo, Brad Lander, and Zohran Mamdani during the mayoral debate. (Photo by VINCENT ALBAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) 

Last night’s final mayoral debate showed that the race for New York City mayor is still up for grabs, even though Andrew Cuomo remains the frontrunner.

Cuomo, who hasn’t been very active on the campaign trail, appeared rusty and uncomfortable, notably when asked about his interactions with Muslim communities, unable to recall his last mosque visit and repeatedly mispronouncing Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani’s name, raising questions about his connection to the city’s diverse population.

Assemblymember Mamdani faced repeated scrutiny about his limited experience and legislative record but remained composed and emphasized the experienced advisers, including Mayor Eric Adams’ former First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres Springer and Patrick Gaspard, a former advisor to Mayor Bill de Blasio, whom he would bring into the office.

Boosted by a high-profile endorsement from the New York Times Opinion panel, Brad Lander took a shot at inserting himself in what has largely been a race between Cuomo and Mamdani. He sharply questioned Cuomo’s ethics and accountability on nursing home deaths during COVID-19,  sexual harassment, and labor rights without targeting Mamdani, positioning himself as a credible, more moderate alternative for the progressive Democrats unwilling to vote for Cuomo and weary of Mamdani.

Speaker Adrienne Adams leveraged her role as Council Speaker, emphasizing specific practical achievements such as her “City of Yes” rezoning initiative and ongoing city budget management, suggesting she’s already effectively serving as mayor.

Whitney Tilson, a former hedge fund manager, notably indicated his second-choice support for Cuomo, highlighting strategic voter dynamics in this ranked-choice election.

Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration and public safety policies loomed large, with all candidates underscoring their readiness to confront these challenges head-on.

The race is unfolding in an increasingly heated political environment, marked by international tensions such as the war in Iran, ongoing immigration protests, and disturbing local events like an unexplained firebombing of police cars in Brooklyn that damaged 11 vehicles. Governing in this charged climate will demand skill, sensitivity, and responsiveness, which the leading candidates did not convincingly demonstrate during the debate, leaving voters with significant questions to ponder.

From Left: Andrew Cuomo, Adrienne Adams, Brad Lander, Scott Stringer, Zellnor Myrie, Jessica Ramos, Zohran Mamdani, Michael Blake, Whitey Tilson. Photos via Getty Images. 

In short, the final official mayoral debate took place last night, and early voting will begin on Saturday, June 14. The primary is on June 24.

Unexpected:

The UFT has yet to endorse a candidate in the 2025 mayoral primary, even though it released the rest of its city endorsements on Wednesday. The last time it did not endorse in a mayoral primary was in 2009. 

A New York Times Opinion panel of informed New Yorkers agreed overwhelmingly that Brad Lander would be the best choice for mayor. He is currently third behind the frontrunners, but this and a strong debate performance should help him. 

Former Mayor Mike Bloomberg endorsed Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday.

(Cross) Endorsements: Last Friday, Senator Jessica Ramos endorsed Andrew Cuomo and Whitney Tilson sort of endorsed Cuomo during the debate, saying he’d rank him second on his ballot. However, despite the incentives of ranked-choice voting, the others have not cross-endorsed. During the last debate, Mamdani said he would announce a second-choice pick before Election Day, and Myrie said to “stay tuned.” 

Interestingly, during the debate, when candidates were allowed to ask each other questions, Adrienne Adams got two questions from Scott Stringer and Zellnor Myrie, which allowed her to showcase her accomplishments. During her turn, she listed her considerable experience before asking Zohran Mamdani if he thought he was better qualified. He responded that everyone on the stage thought they were qualified to be mayor or that they would not be there. 

An aide to Mayor Eric Adams is pushing Orthodox Jewish leaders to withhold endorsements in the New York City mayoral primary, the New York Times reports.

Zohran Mamdani launched an ad targeted at Jewish voters. 

(Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images News via Getty Images)

Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani promises an expansive government funded by $10 billion in tax hikes, targeting corporations and wealthy residents. But his estimates severely underestimate real costs, and his tax plans reveal basic misunderstandings of how taxes operate, writes my colleague Ken Girardin.

For example, Mamdani proposes matching New Jersey’s 11.5% state corporate tax rate, unaware that New York City’s combined state-local corporate rate is already over 17%. His proposed increase would push it to a punishing 22%. And even if that didn’t drive companies out of the city, it would leave them with less money to invest.

Add to that the fact that Governor Hochul is up for reelection next year and reluctant to raise taxes, if he were to be elected, Mamdani’s plans would face significant challenges from the start. 

 (Photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)

Crime: Mayor Adams held a press conference to crush illegal motorcycles to illustrate the number of ghost vehicles the city has taken off the streets. 

ICE Protests: The city is determined to keep order in the face of protests against President Trump’s immigration crackdown to avoid troops being sent to New York. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch warned that NYPD will not tolerate those causing property damage or attacking others, and this week arrested close to a hundred individuals. More protests are planned for the weekend.

Immigration: The left has been lumping all immigrants under the same label, blurring the lines between legal and illegal immigration, infuriating legal immigrants who followed strict rules to become Americans, writes Karol Markowitz. She argues that orderly immigration is crucial for upholding the American dream and that rewarding illegal entry disrespects those who waited patiently to come legally. CNN polling shows foreign-born Americans now trust Republicans on immigration by 8 points, a dramatic 40-point shift since 2020. 

(Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

Semafor’s David Weigel spent some time with the Mamdani campaign and came away thinking that Zohran Mamdani is bringing the Bernie Sanders method to New York. 

Weigel writes that Zohran Mamdani’s rise reflects a significant shift in Democratic priorities away from moderate incrementalism and toward bold, left-wing populism inspired by Bernie Sanders. Mamdani capitalized on Democratic anger against Trump and frustration with Eric Adams’ moderate policies, offering dramatic proposals such as major tax hikes, free public services, and direct challenges to federal policies like ICE enforcement.

His candidacy illustrates a desire among voters for memorable, transformative ideas rather than cautious centrism. If Mamdani wins, New York could experience a divisive ideological realignment similar to what Chicago underwent, potentially reshaping Democratic politics nationwide. Read the full story. 

Rent-stabilized rents in New York City have effectively declined over the past decade when adjusted for inflation, Erik Engquist writes in The Real Deal. Although the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) considers indicators such as the Price Index of Operating Costs (PIOC) and the Consumer Price Index, its approach maintains landlords’ nominal incomes without fully protecting them against inflation. 

This mismatch has contributed significantly to financial distress among the city’s rent-stabilized housing stock, Engquist writes, as operating costs rise sharply while rent collections struggle to recover from pandemic lows. Organizations such as the Community Preservation Corporation have highlighted how this scenario threatens the financial stability and maintenance of many buildings.

Candidates frequently ignore this reality on the campaign trail, advocating rent freezes without acknowledging that below-inflation increases already equate to rent reductions. 

Daily Provisions. Photo by Liena Zagare

Daily Provisions: Manhattan West Plaza (440 West 33rd Street) is perfect for early breakfast meetings in Hudson Yards, offering excellent coffee and their famous crullers, but there are many excellent more waist-friendly options. The airy, casual setting makes for an efficient spot for catching up over coffee or informal lunch, or to linger in the afternoon. And if the weather cooperates, there is plenty of space outside. 

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 You may agree or disagree with the headline, but take a listen to how some of MI’s fellows think about the protests.