Former Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo faced intense scrutiny during a New York City mayoral debate Wednesday, deflecting direct questions about his administration's controversial handling of nursing home COVID-19 deaths.

Andrew Cuomo faced a two-hour pile-on Wednesday as eight other Democrats vying for the party’s nomination for New York City mayor spent their first debate attempting to knock the former governor off his perch.

Two main targets emerged by the end of the two-hour New York City mayoral debate: Frontrunner Andrew Cuomo and Donald Trump. Cuomo’s eight opponents — desperate to cut into his consistent polling advantage — attacked him throughout Wednesday night by seizing on the controversies that preceded his fall from power four years ago: Allegations of sexual harassment and a Covid record that’s reportedly under federal investigation.