Sliwa Attacks Adams at Debate in Bid to Halt Front-Runner’s Momentum

The final debate in the New York City mayor’s race quickly turned rancorous, with Eric Adams and Curtis Sliwa trading personal and political barbs.

There was talk of schmoozing with murderous gang members, and accusations of hiding money to evade paying child support. Pagliacci, the tortured clown of the 19th-century opera, was name-checked. So was Miley Cyrus.

All of this came up Tuesday night in an explosive second and final New York City mayoral debate between Eric Adams, the Democratic nominee, and Curtis Sliwa, the Republican.

Mr. Adams is considered a prohibitive favorite in the race, and Mr. Sliwa has been trying to rattle him for weeks. Those efforts, including at the first debate, last week, had been unsuccessful.