NYC mayoral hopefuls target Cuomo in first Democratic debate

Today's newsletter is curated by James Ramsay

Weather: ☀️ Mostly sunny, highs around 90.

It's Thursday in New York City, where things got a little chaotic during last night's eight-candidate Democratic mayoral primary debate.

One clear theme that emerged: Nearly everyone who isn't Andrew Cuomo had complaints about the former governor's budget cuts to health care, his alleged sexual harassment of women and his handling of the pandemic.

But Cuomo — who leads with with 35% support from voters on the first round of the ranked-choice ballot, according to the latest Emerson poll — staunchly defended his record, and didn't appear to commit any major fumbles.

Here's our full recap of the debate. 

Here's our complete guide to this month's primary.

And here's what else is happening:

• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has officially endorsed Zohran Mamdani for mayor. (She said she'll rank Adrienne Adams second, followed by Brad Lander, Scott Stringer and Zellnor Myrie.)
• Norway, Sweden and Japan are all big on modular housing. If New York City really commits to it, could modular construction solve our affordability issue?
  • North Jersey commuter towns, meanwhile, are big on whatever you call these cubic duplexes.
• New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado said in his first gubernatorial campaign rally yesterday that his boss, Gov. Kathy Hochul, is beholden to powerful interests and the status quo.
• Mayor Eric Adams announced yesterday that e-bike and scooter riders will soon face 15 mph speed limits on city streets.
• The federal Department of Education said Columbia University no longer meets accreditation standards because school leaders have shown "deliberate indifference” toward Jewish students. (In response, Columbia said it's working with the Trump administration on the issue.)
• Immigrants appearing at required check-ins with a private contractor for ICE are being detained after their meetings in Lower Manhattan and in some cases separated from their families.
• A suspect in a fertility clinic bombing in Palm Springs, California, last month was arrested at JFK Airport this week, officials said.
• New York City's Department of Transportation unveiled a plan yesterday to replace two car lanes with bus-only lanes on a busy section of Flatbush Avenue.
• A kite string suspended across the Marine Parkway Bridge cut into one bicyclist’s throat and another’s head and finger as they unknowingly rode into it on Sunday, one of the cyclists told Gothamist.
• The Macy's July 4th fireworks will shoot out of the East River this year.

• Here's what people at two Brooklyn grocery stores — Tashkent Supermarket in Brighton Beach and the Park Slop Food Coop — are thinking about the Democratic mayoral primary.
• Here's where most of the mayoral candidates live and what they pay in rent (or paid to own).
• Orien McNeill, an artist and fixture in New York City's DIY scene who famously lived in a boat on the Gowanus Canal, has died at the age of 45.
• Professional Mary Todd Lincoln impersonators don't all appreciate "Oh, Mary!"
• Happy 5th birthday to Ellie, the New York Liberty's elephant mascot.
• The Pompton Valley Rail Trail looks nice.
• Aaron Judge's diamond-encrusted gavel necklace looks shiny.
• Kid Rock doesn't appreciate Bruce Springsteen badmouthing Donald Trump.
• We love a sectional.