#David Paterson to host Democratic mayoral debate, Andrew Yang to skip

New York’s Democratic mayoral candidates will square off Wednesday on WABC radio in their first live in-person debate. Until now, they have primarily faced one another in Zoom forums.

The event, from 4 to 6 pm, will be moderated by former Gov. David Paterson and WABC host Dominic Carter.

“I never really know what I am going to ask people until they are actually sitting there,” Paterson told The Post.

“It’s obvious now that as more and more people become vaccinated the question is how long is it going to take to bring this city back to a place where it was,” said the genial former gov, who added that crime, in-person learning and figuring out what to do with empty office space were also subjects on his mind.

So far debate organizers say theyt have locked in Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, banking executive Ray McGuire, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, and former city Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia.

City Comptroller Scott Stringer and former City Hall counsel Maya Wiley remain on the fence about appearing on the conservative network, their reps told The Post.

Frontrunner Andrew Yang will be MIA, his campaign manager Chris Coffey confirmed, saying his candidate was already participating in three other official debates sponsored by the New York City Campaign Finance Board. Yang, like every candidate taking public matching funds, is required to participate in the three CFB sanctioned debates.

As a veteran of Mayor Bloomberg’s three mayoral campaigns, Coffey well understands the risks debate exposure can bring to frontrunners.

“Andrew has enjoyed the dozens and dozens of terrific forums he’s participated in. He’s also excited to participate in at least three debates, the first of which is fast approaching,” said Coffey. The first CFB debate is currently scheduled for May 13.

Yang’s absence will likely result in his opponents piling on him in absentia as he continues to widen his lead over his rivals in the race. A Spectrum New York 1/Ipsos poll earlier this month showed him with 29% support, and Adams and Stringer battling for second place with 17% each.

“Yang knows he’s a paper tiger and is terrified that he’s going to have to answer for his dozens of gaffes during this campaign on a debate stage with much more serious candidates who have actual plans for the city,” snarked one top aide to another leading candidate.

The debate will also be a coup for billionaire WABC owner John Catsimatidis, whose team managed to corral at least some of the Democratic candidates despite his history as a Trump mega-donor and prominent supporter of GOP mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa.

Earlier this month the network also hosted a fiery in-person debate among the city’s Republican mayoral candidates.

“We want to give a fair and square debate on the issues to New York and what’s going to help New York make a comeback,” Catsimatidis told The Post.