Who Are the Moderators for NYC Mayoral Debate, Featuring Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa?

Four journalists from NBC 4 New York, Telemundo, and Politico will moderate the first general election debate featuring Zohran Mamdani, Andrew M. Cuomo, and Curtis Sliwa on Thursday, ahead of New York City’s mayoral election on 4 November. The moderators — David Ushery and Melissa Russo from WNBC-TV, Rosarina Bretón of Telemundo, and Sally Goldenberg of Politico New York — will lead the first of two scheduled debates. A second debate, featuring a different panel of moderators, will take place on October 22. David Ushery David Ushery, 58, is a veteran anchor for NBC 4 New York with more than two decades of experience covering major local and national stories. He reported extensively on the city’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, earning the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award in 2021, and on the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. A Connecticut native, Ushery has previously moderated debates for New York governor, comptroller, and mayoral races, including the 1997 mayoral contest between then-Mayor Rudolph W Giuliani and Democratic challenger Ruth Messinger. Melissa Russo Melissa Russo, 56, is NBC 4 New York’s political and government affairs reporter. Over her career, she has covered five New York City mayors and numerous local and national elections, interviewing figures such as Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Mr. Giuliani. Russo’s reporting has also focused on the city’s homeless shelter system, the ongoing migrant crisis, and New York’s family court system. Rosarina Bretón Rosarina Bretón is an anchor for Telemundo 47, where she has covered breaking news since 2018. In March, she interviewed New York Governor Kathy Hochul on issues including immigration enforcement, congestion pricing, and the state budget. Before joining Telemundo, Bretón spent nearly a decade as a reporter and anchor at NY1 Noticias, the Spanish-language news channel. Sally Goldenberg Sally Goldenberg, 44, is Politico’s senior politics editor. She joined the publication in 2013, covering Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration, as well as city labour negotiations, housing, and economic development policy. Prior to Politico, Goldenberg worked for The New York Post, reporting on the City Council and Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration. A New Jersey native, she has also held reporting roles at The Staten Island Advance, The Star-Ledger, and The Hillsborough Beacon.