In a city dominated by Democrats, an air of inevitability has surrounded Eric Adams, New York City's Democratic mayoral nominee, beginning with his victory in the June primary and as he has worked to raise nearly $8 million in advance of the general election. His Republican opponent, Curtis Sliwa, the 67-year-old Guardian Angels founder, has a little over $1.2 million on hand and has fought to be heard and covered by the media.

But with two days before early voting begins, both men will be offered equal stage time as they face off in their first of two official mayoral debates.

Read More: Here's Your Guide To NYC's 2021 Election

Adams, 61, a former New York City police captain, has focused his campaign on battling crime, arguing that public safety is critical to the broader recovery. Sliwa has made policing his priority as well, but he has tried to paint Adams as being an elitist.

“Eric Adams has spent a lot of his time of late up in the suites, getting wined dined and pocket lined by the Fortune 500 executives, by Wall Street executives, by the powerful, by the rich,” he recently told WNYC's Brian Lehrer. “I’ve spent my time out in the streets and subways, as I always have.”

Adams, who is poised to become the city's second Black mayor, has dismissed Sliwa, known for his attention-grabbing stunts, as a serious candidate. He has also called him out for his racist, anti-immigrant, and homophobic remarks over the years.

“It’s difficult for Curtis to talk about the systemic racism, because he has been a leading voice of being a racist," Adams told Lehrer.

HOW TO WATCH THE OCTOBER 20TH DEBATE

The one-hour debate will start at 7 p.m.

  • Television viewers can tune into WNBC-TV Channel 4 and Telemundo, Channel 47, for a Spanish translation.
  • NYC Life TV will also simulcast the program on Channel 25.1.
  • There will be multiple livestreams as well: NBCNewYork.com, Telemundo47.com and Politico New York.

Follow along with our politics team on Twitter: Brigid Bergin (@brigidbergin), David Cruz (@cwebcruzer ), Elizabeth Kim (@lizkimtweets), and check Gothamist later tonight for a debate recap.