Cuomo, Nixon Set To Tangle At Democratic Primary Debate

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The countdown has begun to the highly anticipated Democratic primary debate between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and actress Cynthia Nixon.

You can see it on CBS2 and our sister station WLNY 10/55 on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

All is in readiness at Hofstra University's Hempstead campus for the main event, the championship matchup between the two combatants for the democratic nomination, CBS2's Marcia Kramer reported Tuesday. In one corner there is Cuomo, the two-term, 56th governor of New York, and in the other is Nixon, star of stage, screen and "Miranda" of "Sex and the City."

So how are they preparing?

"By governing, by governing," Cuomo said recently.

"I'm doing what I've done all this campaign -- I'm going to the voters and I'm talking about the issues that they care most about," Nixon said.

Hofstra, which has hosted presidential debates, including the September 2016 slugfest between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, said close to 200 journalists from local, national and international media outlets, including Germany, Japan and Norway, will be in attendance on Wednesday night.

Cuomo, who has been practicing for the debate, wouldn't answer who has been playing his opponent in practice. Team Nixon wouldn't reveal who is playing the part of Cuomo in their rehearsals.

What we do know is that both are strategizing about how to score points and impress voters in this, the one and only time they will appear together before the primary. Cuomo has been standing on his record, which includes building airports and bridges, and passing important bills like same-sex marriage and gun reform.

Nixon has repeatedly blamed the governor for deteriorating mass transit and Albany corruption.

In the run-up to the debate the pair traded barbs about a campaign donation Cuomo received a decade ago from Trump.

"I am here to call on Andrew Cuomo to return the $64,000 he has had donated to him by Donald Trump," Nixon said.

"I'm not giving Donald Trump back his money. I am focused on defeating Donald Trump. Im not going to help him," Cuomo said.

And while Cuomo and Nixon kept out of sight Tuesday, no doubt practicing their punches, their spokespeople went at it.

Team Nixon said how "disappointed" they are the governor only agreed to do one debate.

Team Cuomo sniped that while Nixon is an award-winning actress, their guy communicates "in substance not sound bites."