Seven Democratic New York City mayoral candidates took to the stage to address topics ranging from banning masks at protests to what their favorite subway stations are on Jan. 29 at B’nai Jeshurun synagogue on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
With the Democratic primary coming in June the candidates used every second of the three hours allocated to convince voters why they should be the next mayor of New York City.
Over 1,200 participants attended the forum in-person or online. Prior to the event, all registered attendees were sent a form to fill out regarding the questions and key issues they most wanted the candidates to address. This ensured that all topics covered would be relevant to the community members present.
The event was hosted by the Upper West Side Democrats, Broadway Democrats and Columbia University Democrats, three major Democratic organizations in New York City. Jeff Coltin, a Politico journalist, and Ester R. Fuchs, a Columbia University Professor moderated the event. Both Coltin and Fuchs are residents of the Upper West Side, calling the neighborhood their home.
Over 1,200 participants attended the forum in-person or online.
Rabbi Roly Matalon started off the night’s conversation thanking the candidates for showing up.
“With our democracy facing so many challenges these days, it is great to have all these people here, all these candidates here and so many people online who are watching and participating tonight. I hope it’s a robust conversation, interesting, intense and I just wanted to say welcome and this is democracy in action,” Matalon said.
The candidates were placed in random order, sat from left to right; Scott Stringer, former New York City Comptroller and 2021 mayoral candidate; Whitney Tilson, former hedge fund manager and editor at Stansberry Research; Brad Lander, current New York City comptroller; Jessica Ramos, state senator representing the 13th Senate District; Zellnor Myrie, state senator representing the 20th Senate District; Michael Blake, former state assembly member who represented Assembly District 79 from 2014 to 2020; and Zohran Mamdani, state assembly member representing Assembly District 36. Mayor Eric Adams did not respond to the invitation to attend the forum.
Each candidate delivered an opening statement. Stringer started his speech by dismissing the mayor’s conspicuous absence.
“Tonight, you’re reading about whether Trump may or may not pardon Eric Adams. And I don’t care what happens with that because it’s time for this government to meet the voters, and we have to have a discussion about what our agenda is gonna be,” Stringer said. “I love this city like all of you do. That’s what brings us all together on a cold night, but our city government is not loving us back and the stakes have never been higher.”
The candidates answered two types of questions throughout the forum. There was a lightning round in which candidates could only answer “yes” or “no” to a series of questions, and a standard round of questions posed to one or two candidates at a time.
Time was of the essence as there were only three hours for the candidates to answer voter’s questions.
During the lightning round, candidates were asked whether or not they’d support banning masks at protests. A majority said no. Myrie, the last candidate to answer, recalled an experience at a protest to help support his position, that the first amendment right should be protected, as long as you are not committing a crime while practicing it.
There was a lightning round in which candidates could only answer “yes” or “no” to a series of questions, and a standard round of questions posed to one or two candidates at a time.
“I was pepper sprayed while protesting as a senator, and so I don’t just say this with rhetoric. I have put my actions behind those words and believe in our First Amendment,” Myrie said. “But if you are committing a crime and you are wearing a mask, there should be consequences for that.”
Myrie received his undergraduate and graduate degrees at Fordham. In an interview with WFUV, Fordham’s radio station, Myrie spoke about his experience at the dual campuses.
“I am a very proud Fordham alum, not only undergrad but grad. So people say, ‘Are you a Rose Hill or Lincoln Center’ and I say I was both because I was a Rose Hill undergrad and then when I got my master’s in urban studies, I took a lot of classes at Lincoln Center,” Myrie said.
The moderators playfully asked each candidate if they take the subway and what their favorite subway station is. Surprisingly, not even our own Fordham Alum Zellnor Myrie did not mention 59th St-Columbus Circle station or Fordham Road station as his favorites. He did mention his favorite station is the Atlantic Ave – Barclays Center Station as he is a huge WNBA Liberty basketball fan.
These candidates are not the only ones running for the November primary. Go do your research and if you can, vote!
