Takeaways From the NYC Mayoral Democratic Primary Debate

A total of nine candidates competing to replace Adams made it to the stage.
Takeaways From the NYC Mayoral Democratic Primary Debate
(L-R) Democratic mayoral candidates Adrienne Adams, Brad Lander, Jessica Ramos, Zellnor Myrie, Andrew Cuomo, Whitney Tilson, Zohran Mamdani, Michael Blake, and Scott Stringer participate in the New York City Democratic Mayoral Primary Debate at NBC Studios in New York City on June 4, 2025. Yuki Iwamura-Pool/Getty Images
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A crowded field of Democrats took to the debate stage on June 4 to vie for their party’s nomination to lead New York City as mayor.

The party has been rocked by since-withdrawn corruption charges filed against Mayor Eric Adams by the Biden administration and by an electorate that has become more socially conservative on key issues such as policing, public safety, and criminal justice.

With Adams running as an independent—after what he said was a “bogus case” against him—threatening to split the Democratic vote, tensions are high among New York City Democrats.

A total of nine candidates competing to replace Adams made it to the stage, presenting competing visions for the city’s future and making promises about the reforms they'll institute if elected.

The Democratic primary, to be held on June 24, will be decided by ranked-choice voting. Voters will choose up to five candidates, and the lowest performers will be eliminated until one candidate achieves 50 percent, making it difficult to predict the final outcome with much certainty.

Here are the takeaways from the night.

The Front-Runner: Former Gov. Cuomo

Easily the biggest name to a national audience was former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who resigned from the state’s top job in 2021 amid mounting sexual harassment allegations. Cuomo has denied these allegations, saying during the debate that they were “political and false.”
Cuomo entered the night far and away the front-runner—in part boosted by nearly $6 million in PAC spending so far out of more than $10.7 million raised, according to the New York City Campaign Finance Board.
Emerson College polling released on May 28 also shows Cuomo with a sizable lead, at 35 percent of the vote as of May 28.
Thus, Cuomo was the target for most other candidates on the stage—alongside Adams. He sought to present himself as a centrist and a moderate with the experience for the post.

The Challenger: State Rep. Zohran Mamdani

Despite Cuomo’s significant advantages, progressives have thrown their hopes behind another candidate: state Rep. Zohran Mamdani.

Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has won the endorsement of the Working Families Party, which has a relatively influential position among progressives in the city. The group has declared a goal of defeating both Adams and Cuomo, a strategy they’ve dubbed “D.R.E.A.M.,” or “Don’t Rank Eric or Andrew for Mayor.”

In Emerson’s May 28 poll, Mamdani is the runner-up, with 22.7 percent support.

Cuomo and others attacked Mamdani for his previous comments in support of defunding the police and criticism of NYPD officers.

Other Contenders

Others competing for the job included Comptroller Brad Lander, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, former Comptroller Scott Stringer, Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, former DNC Vice Chair Michael Blake, state Sen. Jessica Ramos, and businessperson Whitney Tilson.
Lander came in third in Emerson’s May 28 poll at 10.5 percent. No other candidate currently has more than single-digit support.

The Wildcard: Sitting Mayor Adams

Mayor Adams wasn’t on the stage, but his presence—as a target—loomed large over the debate.

Adams’s independent bid comes after the Department of Justice under President Donald Trump’s administration closed a prosecution of Adams on corruption charges. Adams’s Democratic critics have claimed that this was a “quid pro quo” as part of an agreement with the Trump administration to allow immigration enforcement in the city.

Adams has said he arrived at that policy position independently because he believed it was what was best for the city and has denied all the allegations.

Mamdani said Adams “has collaborated with the Trump administration at almost every opportunity.”

Adrienne Adams said during the debate that her greatest political regret was her past support for Eric Adams.

Still, Emerson College found that 10 percent would currently back Eric Adams in the November election.

Policing

Front and center during the debate were questions about public safety and crime, about which New Yorkers have expressed continuing concerns.

While Democrats have sometimes been hesitant to take on strongly pro-police attitudes in the past, most candidates called for increased policing.

Myrie said he takes the subway regularly.

“People tell you that you shouldn’t believe what you’re experiencing, that the numbers are down and that you should feel more safe, but that’s why people tune out of politics. ... Things feel different,” he said.

Cuomo said that Democrats “have to admit” what they did wrong—namely, taking a supportive stance toward defunding the police.

“The people on this stage, almost without exception, were all ‘Defund the police’ ... and now they’re calling for more police,” Cuomo said.

Cuomo: No Personal Regrets

During one section of the debate, candidates were asked about their biggest regrets across their time in politics.

When Cuomo’s turn to answer came, he said, “The Democratic Party got to a point that we allowed Mr. Trump to be elected.”

Following this response, a moderator pushed Cuomo to take the opportunity to address the past allegations against him of sexual misconduct.

“A report was done four years ago making certain allegations. I said at the time that it was political and it was false. Five district attorneys, Democratic, Republican, who looked at it ... found absolutely nothing,” Cuomo said.

“One case has been resolved; I was dropped from that case. I said at the time that if I offended anyone, it was unintentional, but I apologize, and I say that today.”

Trump

Trump was also discussed during the debate—with candidates broadly vowing to oppose the president’s efforts to carry out mass deportations or strip New York City of its “sanctuary” status.

Cuomo said: “I fought [Trump] on ICE. This is not the first time he’s brought ICE to New York. He’s done that before, and we fought him and we won.”

Other candidates also said that they would seek to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from operating within the city.