Mayoral candidates criticized Mayor Eric Adams and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo during a forum in Manhattan on Wednesday.

"Unlike Mayor Adams, who raised your rent, or Gov. Cuomo, who put you in Tier 6, I have the guts to ask for your endorsement in person," Queens state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani said.

District Council 37, which is the city’s largest union of municipal workers, hosted the forum at the Borough Manhattan Community College Tribeca Performing Arts Center.

All of the candidates at the forum were Democrats.

"You are what makes this city great. And you deserve a mayor that cares enough to come ask you for your support in person," Brooklyn state Assemblymember Zellnor Myrie said. "We don't need the leaders of the past to take us to the future."

Cuomo has not announced that he is running for mayor.

Adams had previously committed to attend the forum but pulled out Wednesday afternoon.

The mayor said he could not attend because of his active corruption case.

"My counsel stated, 'Eric, there's a decision coming down on the 14th. Let's allow the court to do its process.' There are time for debates. There are times for forums. And there's time to speak with people, which I'm doing now," he told reporters earlier Wednesday.

District Council 37 supported Adams in the 2021 mayoral race but it has not yet made an endorsement in this year’s race.

Other mayoral candidates in attendance were Queens state Sen. Jessica Ramos, former Bronx state Assemblymember Michael Blake, former City Comptroller Scott Stringer and City Comptroller Brad Lander.