The mainstream media widely says that Zohran Mamdani dominated the New York City mayoral debate, skillfully deflecting attacks from his opponents, maintaining his trademark charisma, and avoiding any major rhetorical missteps. The worst part is, they may be right.

The immediate aftermath of the debate shows that Mamdani maintained his more than ten-point lead in the race. Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate, although passionate, often struggled to get a word in between Cuomo and Mamdani. Sliwa's attacks against Cuomo, although effective in any typical election, ultimately did more service to Mamdani. Even if Sliwa cannot see it, this race is between Cuomo and Mamdani; Sliwa only serves to siphon away voters, and ensure a socialist victory in the world's financial capital.

Mamdani's campaign even used Sliwa's attacks to their advantage, reposting them on X.

Even in a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans by seven to one, Cuomo was struggling to match Mamdani's energy and progressive agenda, often coming across as cold and too lawyerly.

Even the NY Post conceded that Mamdani held his own. "Cuomo," they said, didn't "land any punches that shook the race up." Cuomo attempted to take a shot at Mamdani's lack of real-world experience, but the attack was quickly flipped back onto Cuomo.

With Cuomo's own record lacking proven effectiveness and his inability to slam a candidate whose only ever worked on campaigns and been a no-name city councilman, the only hope lies in Sliwa dropping out of the race, as everyone has said since the beginning.