With less than three weeks before the New York City mayoral race, the three leading candidates have squared off in the first of two televised debates.

Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani continues to enjoy a commanding lead in the polls, but the two-hour-long face-off on Thursday provided an opportunity for his rivals to make their case — and attempt to close the gap.

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa levelled familiar lines of attack against the 34-year-old Mamdani, an assemblyman who emerged as a breakout star in the Democratic Party.

While the contest is a municipal one, it carries national — if not international — implications.

Mamdani’s resounding primary victory in June against Cuomo sent shockwaves across the United States. It marked a high-prof

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