Former New York governor Andrew Cuomo's position at the top of the polls going into the event made him the favorite punching bag of the other candidates, but he came determined to settle some scores after months of attacks from his opponents.

In the first New York City Democratic primary debate, Andrew Cuomo sparred with opponent Zohran Mamdani, who accused the former governor of siding with billionaires during his time in office. The heated exchange followed Mamdani’s declaration that he was “Donald Trump’s worst nightmare.