New York, New York - Zohran Mamdani came out swinging in the second debate of the New York City mayoral race.

"I am the sole candidate running with a vision for the future of this city," Mamdani said in his opening statement Wednesday night, as he was flanked onstage by independent challenger Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.

The state assembly member warned that his top challenger, former governor Cuomo, would "spend much of tonight attacking me."

And while Cuomo and Sliwa did spend a lot of their time criticizing Mamdani, that didn't mean the 34-year-old frontrunner didn't have a few barbs of his own.

The democratic socialist continues to hold a massive double-digit lead over Cuomo, according to most polls.

In one of the most viral moments of the debate, Mamdani shone a spotlight on the numerous sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo, which led to his resignation as governor of New York back in 2021.

"Mr. Cuomo, in 2021, 13 different women who worked in your administration credibly accused you of sexual harassment," Mamdani said. "Since then, you have spent more than $20 million in taxpayer funds to defend yourself, all while describing these allegations as entirely political."

"One of those women, Charlotte Bennett, is here in the audience this evening. You sought to access her private gynecological records. She cannot speak up for herself, because you lodged a defamation case against her. I, however, can speak," Mamdani insisted.

"What do you say to the 13 women that you sexually harassed?" he asked, to applause from the audience.

Cuomo responded, "If you want to be in government, then you have to be serious and mature."

The ex-governor went on to say that everything Mamdani said was a "misstatement" because "the cases were dropped."

A report from New York Attorney General Letitia James confirmed that Cuomo had "sexually harassed multiple women from 2013 through 2020." A US Justice Department investigation found a similar pattern of sexual misconduct by Cuomo.

New York State reached a settlement with Bennett in April. According to the deal, she will receive $450,000, most of which will go to cover legal fees, with $100,000 going to the 29-year-old personally.

Mamdani sought to highlight his affordability agenda throughout the contentious debate.

"If you want a Mayor who tells you everything that he can't do, Andrew Cuomo should be your choice. But if you want a Mayor who will use every tool at their disposal to lower the cost of living, I am the candidate for you," he said.

In a memorable moment, the Democratic nominee deplored New York City's homelessness crisis, which he said was exacerbated during Cuomo's tenure as governor.

A report from Advocates for Children of New York released Monday found that more than 100,000 students in the city experienced homelessness during the 2024-25 school year for the tenth year in a row, with the number topping 150,000 for the first time.

"This is a stain on our city, to see this many children in our public school system be homeless," Mamdani said, vowing to deliver 200,000 new affordable homes across the city and freeze the rent for rent-stabilized homes.

As in the first debate, Mamdani also took aim at Cuomo's claim that he is not experienced enough to lead the nation's largest city.

"You will hear from Andrew Cuomo about his experience, as if the issue is that we don't know about it. The issue is that we have all experienced your experience," Mamdani said.

The general election for New York City mayor takes place on November 4, 2025. Early voting begins this Saturday, October 25.