Zohran Mamdani and Brad Lander, two of the leading candidates in the Democratic mayoral primary, joined Stephen Colbert on The Late Show on Monday night for a last-minute appeal to voters.
Mr. Mamdani, a New York state assemblyman from Queens, and Mr. Lander, the city comptroller, discussed their mutual rival, former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo; immigration raids and the unique nature of their endorsements of each other.
“To be clear, I am not endorsing either one of you,” Mr. Colbert quipped as the men sat down for their conversation.
“I’m out of here,” Mr. Mamdani replied, pretending to jump out of his chair.
Mr. Colbert asked the men about their cross-endorsement, which they had announced one day before early voting began.
Mr. Lander said that their alliance was an attempt to ensure Mr. Cuomo, a leading candidate for much of the campaign, would not be victorious.
The two candidates praised each other’s legislative track record, and Mr. Lander, who is Jewish, and Mr. Mamdani, who is Muslim, both asserted they believed that the state of Israel had the right to exist.
Mr. Colbert asked Mr. Mamdani, a critic of Israel’s policies, what he had to say to Jewish New Yorkers who were concerned about antisemitism and “who are afraid that you wouldn’t be their mayor, that you wouldn’t protect them?”
Mr. Mamdani said that, if elected, he hoped to back a proposal to increase funding for anti-hate crime programming.
“Antisemitism is not simply something that we should talk about,” he said. “It’s something that we have to tackle.”
“Look, no mayor is going to be responsible for what happens in the Middle East,” Mr. Lander chimed in. “But there is something quite remarkable about a Jewish New Yorker and a Muslim New Yorker coming together to say, ‘Here’s how we protect all New Yorkers.’”
Mr. Colbert asked Mr. Lander about his recent arrest by ICE agents at a courthouse where migrants with pending immigration cases have been routinely detained.
Mr. Lander explained that he was arrested following an immigration proceeding for a migrant named Edgardo, who ICE agents had tried to detain as he left a hearing.
“So, you’re the comptroller of the city,” Mr. Colbert said to Mr. Lander, then paused: “What … is that?”
Mr. Lander explained that he was “the money guy” for New York, responsible for the city’s $275 billion pension fund.
“Wait a minute,” Mr. Colbert said. “You’re the money guy, and he’s —” he pointed to Mr. Mamdani — “the Democratic socialist. You’re a socialist endorsing the money guy. Does socialism not scare you?”
Mr. Lander demurred.
“What Brad has also shown by being the money guy,” Mr. Mamdani added, “is holding people accountable.”
Mr. Colbert wrapped up the interview by asking about the candidates’ cross endorsement.
“I know you’ve said ‘we,’ but it really can only be ‘I,’” Mr. Colbert said to the two men. “Who’s winning the primary?”
Mr. Mamdani and Mr. Lander grinned and began to playfully arm wrestle.
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