(MENAFN- Live Mint) Former New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's last attempt to block Zohran Mamdani's path to becoming mayor of New York City received a major financial lift ahead of Friday's debate from two billionaires with close ties to President Trump, according to a report by the New York Times.

Joe Gebbia, who is Airbnb's co-founder and the Trump administration's chief design officer, donated $1 million each to Fix the City and Defend NYC, two super PACs opposing the Democratic nominee, Mamdani, said the report.

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Investor and Trump supporter Bill Ackman also contributed, sending $1 million to Defend NYC and $250,000 to Fix the City, according to state filings, NYT reported.

These contributions are among the biggest in the mayoral race and indicate that some donors still think Cuomo, who lost the Democratic primary in June, has a chance.

Despite trailing Mamdani by double digits in most polls, Cuomo continues to campaign as an independent.

Many affluent business leaders are uneasy about the possibility of Mamdani, a democratic socialist advocating for higher taxes on the wealthy becoming mayor. While some had pledged major financial backing to oppose him, few have followed through with large donations given Cuomo's weak standing.

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The super PACs seem set to invest their funds in voter outreach efforts aimed at those who might still support Cuomo. Fix the City, which spent over $20 million during the primary mostly on TV ads promoting Cuomo and attacking Mamdani, has now shifted its strategy to focus on door-to-door canvassing and digital advertising, according to the report.

For Cuomo, now running as an independent, the debate was a critical opportunity, one of his last to persuade voters that choosing Mamdani, who had already beaten him in the Democratic primary, would be a mistake.

The race also represents Cuomo's bid for a political revival after stepping down as governor four years ago amid numerous sexual harassment allegations. Though he denies any wrongdoing, the scandal, and other controversies from his time in office, continue to cast a shadow over his campaign.

Also Read | NYC Mayoral race: Zohran Mamdani ahead but gap narrows over Andrew Cuomo

Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist, entered the debate in a stronger position, but he still had to endure two hours of aggressive attacks from Cuomo while holding on to the optimistic, likeable tone that has defined his campaign so far.

A poll of New York City likely voters conducted by Quinnipiac University in early October, after Adams ended his bid for a second term, found that Mamdani continued to hold a lead over Cuomo. The poll suggested that Cuomo may have benefited somewhat from Adams' departure, but the current mayor's exit did not appear to have a meaningful impact on the state of the race, AP reported.

(With inputs from AP, NYT)

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