♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

♪ >>"METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION, THE JPB ♪ >>> WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

I'M RAFAEL PI ROMAN.

EARLY VOTING IN THE NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL PRIMARY IS ALREADY UNDERWAY.

WE'RE SITTING DOWN WITH EACH OF THE MAJOR CANDIDATES TO DISCUSS WHO THEY ARE AND HOW THEY PLAN TO IMPROVE THE CITY.

FERNANDO MATEO IS AN ENTREPRENEUR, AN ACTIVIST AND NOW A POLITICAL CANDIDATE RUNNING TO BE THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR.

IN ADDITION TO CREATING HIS OWN MULTIMILLION DOLLAR CARPETING BUSINESS, MATEO MADE A NAME FOR HIMSELF WITH DECADES-LONG HISTORY OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN NEW YORK CITY, ORGANIZING A PROGRAM IN WHICH RESIDENTS COULD TRADE IN GUNS FOR TOY CERTIFICATES AND SERVING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OF TAXI DRIVERS.

HERE TO DISCUSS IS FERNANDO MATEO.

WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.

>> THANK YOU.

IT'S A PLEASURE SEEING YOU AS WELL.

>> WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY AND WHY SHOULD REPUBLICAN VOTERS VOTE FOR YOU INSTEAD OF FOR YOUR OPPONENT IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY?

>> NEW YORK CITY MADE ME WHO I AM.

NEW YORK CITY GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT I HAVE.

NEW YORK CITY SAW THE BIRTH OF MY CHILDREN.

NEW YORK CITY IS ALL I KNOW.

WE'RE LOSING OUR CITY.

THAT'S WHY I'VE DECIDED TO ENTER THE RING TO COME IN AND CREATE THE CHANGES THAT OUR CITY NEEDS.

ANY DEMOCRAT THAT COMES INTO OFFICE IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER EIGHT YEARS OF BILL de BLASIO.

WE NEED TO GO BACK TO WHEN PATAKI WAS GOVERNOR AND WE HAD A GREAT CITY AND GREAT STATE.

THAT'S ALL GONE NOW.

NOW WE'RE JUST LIVING WITH CRIME, A VERY BAD ECONOMY.

SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE FLED.

OUR CITY IS IN SHAMBLES.

LOOKING AT THE POOL OF CANDIDATES RUNNING, THEY'RE ALL THE SAME.

IT'S JUST ANOTHER EIGHT YEARS OF DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP THAT REALLY ISN'T LEADERSHIP.

IT'S DEMOCRATS TRYING TO TAKE OUR CITY AND DESTROY IT.

>> YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN MANY DIFFERENT CIVIC ENGAGEMENTS.

I MET YOU IN 1999 WHEN YOU WERE TEACHING KIDS HOW TO LAY CARPET.

AFTER THAT YOU WERE INVOLVED WITH GUNS FOR TOYS OR TOYS FOR GUNS.

THEN YOU WERE ADVOCATES FOR TAXI DRIVERS AND BODEGA OWNERS AND A MILLION DIFFERENT THINGS.

MOST SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS FOCUS THEIR ENERGY ON THEIR BUSINESS, IN YOUR CASE THE CARPET BUSINESS HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.

>> I BELIEVE IN CREATING OPPORTUNITIES.

YOU HAVE ONE LIFE.

IF YOU DON'T MAKE AN IMPACT, YOU DID NOTHING.

MAKING MONEY IS THE EASY THING.

CHANGING LIVES IS THE DIFFICULT THING.

THERE ARE 8 MILLION LIVES IN NEW YORK CITY THAT NEED TO BE CHANGED.

WE NEED TO BRING BACK PROSPERITY.

THERE SHOULD BE NO POVERTY IN THIS CITY.

THERE'S POVERTY BECAUSE WE HAVE VERY BAD LEADERSHIP IN NEW YORK.

OUR KIDS 14-18 COME OUT OF SCHOOL AND HAVE NOTHING TO DO.

WHEN I WAS 14 I DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL AND I WAS ADOPTED BY A JEWISH FAMILY THAT TAUGHT ME THE ROAD TO SUCCESS AND MADE ME WHO I AM TODAY.

I WANT TO CREATE THOSE SAME OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS 14-18 THAT ARE GOING TO HIGH SCHOOL AND WHEN THEY COME OUT OF SCHOOL THEY SHOULD HAVE A PART-TIME JOB.

IF WE GUIDE THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, WE WILL END POVERTY IN NEW YORK, WE WILL CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE ELECTRICIANS, PLUMBERS, CARPENTERS.

CORPORATE AMERICA WILL HIRE THESE KIDS.

I WILL ENGAGE EVERY CITY AGENCY TO GIVE OUR KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY.

A 14-YEAR-OLD TODAY IN SEVEN YEARS WILL BE 21.

IF WE DON'T GUIDE THEM, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THAT KID?

A LOT OF THE CITY SCHOOLS ARE FAILING.

WE NEED MORE VOCATION IN SCHOOLS.

WE NEED MORE KIDS TO GO OUT AND LEARN A SKILL, LEARN A TRADE, BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE A DOCTOR OR LAWYER OR CPA.

I KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.

I DID IT AT RHOIKERS ISLAND.

I KNOW HOW TO DO THAT BECAUSE I'M IN BUSINESS.

IT'S VERY SAD TO BE RICH AND LONELY.

IT'S GOOD TO BE RICH AND SHARE THAT WEALTH WITH OTHERS, SHARE THAT WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE.

I WILL SHARE MY WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE WITH EVERY NEW YORKER AND I WILL MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITY IS ONE OF THE SAFEST CITIES IN THE WORLD WHEN I AM MAYOR.

I WILL MAKE SURE I GET THINGS RIGHT.

>> WE'LL TALK ABOUT YOUR AGENT IN A MOMENT IN DETAIL.

BEFORE WE DO THAT, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE CONTROVERSIES INVOLVING YOU THAT HAVE REEMERGED DURING THE COURSE OF THIS CAMPAIGN.

FIRST OF ALL, IN 2016 YOU ADMITTED TO FUNNELING ALMOST $19,000 TO THE de BLASIO REELECTION CAMPAIGN THROUGH A STRAW DONOR, WHICH IS A PERSON THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH COLLECTING THE MONEY, WHICH WAS AN EVIDENT VIOLATION OF ELECTION LAWS.

WHY SHOULDN'T VOTERS TAKE A LOOK AT THAT BEFORE THEY WHOM TO VOTE FOR IN THE PRIMARY?

>> BECAUSE THAT WAS ALL UNTRUE.

I DID BUNDLE MONEY FOR de BLASIO BECAUSE I HAD 50-60 CONSTITUENTS THAT I REPRESENT.

AS A BUSINESS OWNER, IT'S MY DUTY TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE GOOD.

DONALD TRUMP DONATED MORE MONEY TO HILLARY CLINTON AND BILL CLINTON THAN ANYONE ELSE.

JOHN I HAVE NEVER VIOLATED ANY LAWS.

I'VE NEVER BROKEN THE LAW.

THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF PERSON I AM.

THESE ARE JUST SMOKE BOMBS.

THEY'RE BASICALLY THINGS TO DISTRACT THE PUBLIC.

WHAT YOU JUST SAID, RAFAEL, NEVER HAPPENED.

I DID BUNDLE, BUT I NEVER DID STRAW.

THAT'S ILLEGAL.

>> THE FOLLOW-UP WAS, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SAID REALLY ROUGH STUFF ABOUT de BLASIO.

IN FACT, YOU SAID THAT de BLASIO WAS THE PANDEMIC BLIGHTING THE CITY.

>> SO?

>> SO WHY HELP HIS CAMPAIGN AGAIN?

>> UNDERSTAND ONE THING.

THIS HAPPENED IN 2016.

PEOPLE CHANGE.

WHERE WERE YOU SIX YEARS AGO?

WHERE WERE YOU FIVE YEARS AGO?

BILL de BLASIO WAS IN HIS FIRST TERM AS MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY AND I THOUGHT HE SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW YORKERS.

SO THE FACT THAT I BUNDLED $18,000 FOR HIM WASN'T ANY REASON, NO CAUSE FOR ANYONE TO SECOND GUESS WHAT I DID, BECAUSE I DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG OTHER THAN SUPPORT A JUNIOR MAYOR THAT WAS IN HIS FIRST TERM.

IF I HAD TO DO IT TODAY, I WOULDN'T DO IT AT ALL BECAUSE HE IS NOT THE PERSON I MET FIVE YEARS AGO.

PEOPLE CHANGE.

>> TO CLOSE WITH THE CONTROVERSIES, LET ME TALK ABOUT THE OTHER ONE THAT HAS REEMERGED.

S SO THE OTHER CONTROVERSY INVOLVES YOUR FORMER RIVERFRONT RESTAURANT LA MARINA.

MANY OF THE ORIGINAL CHARGES WERE DISMISSED.

THE RESTAURANT DID LOSE ITS LIQUOR LICENSE AND EVENTUALLY FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY IN 2019 OWING OVER $600,000 INCLUDING 20$,000 TO THE CITY'S PARKS DEPARTMENT AND MONEY TO CUSTOMERS TO BOOKED EVENTS THAT THEY COULDN'T ATTEND.

WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT YOUR ABILITY TO RUN AND OPERATE THE CITY?

>> I'VE BEEN OWN MULTIPLE BUSINESSES, ALL MULTIMILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRIES, BUSINESSES.

LA MARINA WAS A CHEAP SHOT BY NEW YORK.

IT WAS A TOTAL SETUP.

EVERYONE THAT'S IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS AND THE NIGHTCLUB BUSINESS AND THE NIGHT LIFE BUSINESS ALL KNOW THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME HAS HAPPENED TO THEM.

THERE IS WHAT YOU CALL ABUSE OF POWER BY CITY AGENCIES.

CAN YOU IMAGINE I INVEST WITH MY PARTNER $6 MILLION IN A CITY JUNK YARD.

IN ORDER FOR ME TO INVEST 6 MILLION, YOU HAVE TO EARN 12.

DO YOU THINK THAT I WOULD INVEST THAT MUCH MONEY TO LOSE IT, TO MAKE MISTAKES?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

IN 6 1/2 YEARS THAT WE WERE OPEN, WE HAD CUSTOMERS LIKE BILL CLINTON, HILLARY CLINTON, BILL de BLASIO, ANDREW CUOMO WAS THERE MULTIPLE TIMES.

WE HAD LEADERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD THERE.

WE RAN A CLASS ACT OPERATION.

WITH I EMPLOYED 350 PEOPLE.

ONE EMPLOYEE OF 350 DECIDED TO SELL LESS THAN A THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF DRUGS, MARIJUANA AND OTHER SUBSTANCES TO UNDERCOVER OFFICERS.

GUESS WHAT?

WHEN THEY PULL THIS KID IN, THE FIRST THING THEY DID WAS SHOW HIM MY PICTURE AND SAY, WHAT DID THIS GUY HAVE TO DO WITH IT?

THE KID SAID MATEO HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS, I MESSED UP AND I'M SORRY I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING HIS BUSINESS AWAY FROM HIM.

IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT I WAS A VICTIM OF THIS ADMINISTRATION.

I WAS A VICTIM OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I WAS A VICTIM OF CITY AGENCIES AND I WILL PROVE THAT AS WE MOVE ALONG.

I AM A GREAT BUSINESSMAN, LEADER AND I HAVE BEEN AMAZING TO ALL MY EMPLOYEES.

THESE ARE JUST DISTRACTIONS, BECAUSE ANYONE THAT'S IN BUSINESS NO NEW YORK CITY TODAY, ESPECIALLY IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS, IN THE BAR BUSINESS, IN THE NIGHT LIFE BUSINESS, THEY HAVE SUFFERED THE SAME CONSEQUENCES AS I HAVE.

THEY UNDERSTAND BETTER THAN ANYONE WHAT FERNANDO MATEO WENT THROUGH.

LOSING $6 MILLION TO ME WAS LOSING A LIFETIME OF HARD WORK.

WHO WOULD WANT TO DO THAT?

COMMON SENSE WILL TELL YOU I NEVER WOULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO LOSE MY BUSINESS, YET IT WAS TAKEN AWAY.

SO I AM A VICTIM AND I WILL HOLD SOMEONE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO ME AND I WILL MAKE SURE THAT IT NEVER HAPPENS TO ANY OTHER BUSINESSMAN IN NEW YORK CITY EVER.

I WILL PROTECT RISK TAKERS, I WILL PROTECT SMALL BUSINESSES.

I WILL MAKE SURE THAT CITY AGENCIES INDULGE AND ENGAGE WITH THEM.

IF SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH A BUSINESS, WE WILL GO IN AND HELP THE OWNER CORRECT IT, NOT SHUT HIM DOWN, NOT TAKE IT AWAY, NOT ABUSE POWER AND HURT THE PEOPLE CREATING JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES.

FOR OVER 30 YEARS I HAVE WORKED HARD TO HELP DEMOCRATIC COMMUNITIES BECAUSE DEMOCRATS DON'T HELP THEIR OWN.

I STARTED WITH RIKERS ISLAND, AS YOU SAID.

THREE YEARS I SPENT MY MONEY, MY TIME HELPING OTHERS.

I DID TOYS FOR GUNS, THE LARGEST DISARMAMENT PROGRAM EVER IN THE HISTORY OF NEW YORK CITY.

I ORGANIZED BODEGA OWNERS.

THEY WERE BEING MURDERED AND KILLED.

TAXI DRIVERS WERE BEING KILLED TWO AND THREE A WEEK.

I CHANGED ALL OF THAT.

SO WHAT KIND OF PERSON DO YOU THINK I AM?

I WAS A THREAT TO THOSE THAT WANTED MY BUSINESS AND THEY TOOK IT, AND I WILL NEVER ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE.

>> VERY GOOD.

LET'S MOVE ONTO THE ISSUES, FERNANDO.

WE'RE GETTING MORE PEOPLE VACCINATED AGAINST COVID EVERY DAY AND IT DOES APPEAR THAT THE VIRUS IS RAPIDLY DIMINISHING AS A HEALTH THREAT, BUT OF COURSE THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF COVID WILL REMAIN FOR A LONG TIME TO COME.

IF YOU'RE ELECTED MAYOR, WHAT ARE THE FIRST STEPS YOU INTEND TO TAKE TO REVIVE THE ECONOMY AND GET NEW YORKERS BACK TO WORK?

>> I WILL BRING BACK THE ECONOMY BY BRINGING BACK SMALL BUSINESSES.

WE LOST MAYBE 80,000 SMALL BUSINESSES IN NEW YORK NOT BECAUSE OF COVID BUT BECAUSE OF THE ABUSE OF POWER OF THE CITY AND STATE AGENCIES THAT SHUT THEM DOWN.

COVID WAS JUST A BUMP IN THE ROAD THAT HURT SOME.

YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT I WOULD DO IS OFFER EVERY SMALL MOM AND POP STORE, THE BACKBONE OF OUR CITY, A 10% PAYROLL TAX RELIEF, THE SAME TAX RELIEF WE WERE OFFERING AMAZON.

WE WERE GIVING AMAZON $3 BILLION TO CREATE $25,000 JOBS.

I WILL BRING BACK 50,000 NEW BUSINESSES, EMPLOY $500,000 PEOPLE FOR THOSE $3 BILLION.

I KNOW HOW TO DO IT BECAUSE I AM A SMALL BUSINESS MAN THAT EMPLOYS 50,000 PEOPLE IN NEW YORK CITY.

NO OTHER CANDIDATE HAS MY BUSINESS EXPERIENCE.

IF YOU TOOK EVERY CANDIDATE, INCLUDING CURTIS SLIWA WHO IS NOT A REPUBLICAN, AND YOU PUT THEM IN A BLENDER AND YOU BLEND THEM TOGETHER AND POUR THEM OUT, THEY HAVEN'T DONE 10% OF WHAT FERNANDO MATEO HAS DONE FOR NEW YORK CITY.

THAT'S WHY I WILL WIN.

DEMOCRATS KNOW THAT I AM THE ONLY REPUBLICAN THAT CAN TAKE BACK OUR CITY BECAUSE I HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE THAN ALL OF THEM REGARDING BUSINESS, PHILANTHROPY, JOB CREATION, REGARDING POLICIES, REGARDING POSITIONS.

I AM THE MAYOR THAT'S GOING TO FIX OUR CITY AND BRING TOURISM BACK AND REOPEN OUR ENTIRE ECONOMY, BECAUSE COVID SHOULD HAVE NEVER SHUT DOWN OUR CITY THE WAY IT WAS.

>> FERNANDO, WE HAVE OF COURSE, SEEN A DRAMATIC RISE IN CRIME, PARTICULARLY MURDERS AND SHOOTINGS AMONG OTHER CRIMES.

I'M SURE YOU WOULD AGREE THERE'S NO RECOVERY OF OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY WITHOUT REVERSING THAT INCREASE IN CRIME.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS TO DEAL WITH THE RISING CRIME RATE IN NEW YORK CITY?

>> FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S NO RESPECT FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

THEY ARE DISRESPECTED EVERY DAY.

THEY'RE SPAT AT, WATER IS DUMPED ON THEM.

THERE'S NO LAW AND ORDER IN NEW YORK.

AS YOU SAID, THERE WILL NEVER BE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IF WE DO NOT ADDRESS THE CRIME PROBLEM, THE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES.

THE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WERE ALL CREATED BY DEMOCRATS.

IT WAS CREATED BY DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP.

BAIL REFORM.

BAIL OUT EVERY CRIMINAL TO COME OUT OF JAIL.

THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED.

OUR SUBWAY SYSTEMS.

I WOULD PUT TWO POLICE OFFICERS IN EVERY SUBWAY STATION 24/7 IN NEW YORK CITY.

I WILL MAKE THE SUBWAY PLATFORMS AN EXTENSION OF OUR PRECINCTS BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE PRECINCTS ON EVERY CORNER.

SUBWAY STATIONS WILL BECOME A SAFE HAVEN LOCATION WHERE IF YOU'RE IN TROUBLE IN THE STREETS, YOU CAN RUN INTO THE SUBWAYS AND FIND HELP.

I WOULD MAKE SURE WE PUT A FEW THOUSAND MORE COPS OUT THERE WORKING WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, ENGAGING WITH OUR COMMUNITY, ENGAGING WITH OUR YOUTH.

I WILL MAKE SURE IF YOU GET CAUGHT WITH AN ILLEGAL GUN, THERE'S A MANDATORY FIVE-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE.

WE NEED TO GET RID OF GUNS FROM OUR STREETS.

WE NEED TO LOCK UP THE CRIMINALS.

WE NEED TO ALLOW CITIZENS LIKE MYSELF TO FEEL SAFE IN NEW YORK CITY.

PUBLIC SAFETY IS MY FIRST AGENDA.

I WILL ADDRESS THAT BY MAKING SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH POLICE OFFICERS OUT ON THE STREETS AND THAT LAW AND ORDER IS RESTORED IMMEDIATELY, DAY ONE WHEN I TAKE OFFICE.

WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GETTING SHOT UP, WHICH ARE USUALLY MINORITY COMMUNITIES, WE MAKE SURE WE REENFORCE THEM WITH POLICE OFFICERS FROM THOSE SAME COMMUNITIES.

WE NEED TO START ENGAGING.

THAT'S HOW I WOULD DO IT.

>> WHAT ELSE BESIDES ENGAGING AND BRINGING PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU DO TO BRING BACK THE TRUST BETWEEN THE NYPD AND SOME OF THOSE POOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, SOME OF WHOM HAVE LOST SOME TRUST IN THE NYPD, A LOT OF TRUST IN SOME CASES?

>> THE PEOPLE THAT HAD REALLY LOST TRUST IN NYPD ARE OUR LEADERS, THE POLITICIANS THAT DEFUNDED THEM.

I WILL REFUND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I WOULD INCREASE THE BUDGET, WHATEVER IS NECESSARY.

REMEMBER, WE DON'T HAVE A CITY IF WE DON'T HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY.

SO THERE SHOULD NEVER BE BUDGET CUTS FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS.

I WOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE DEPUTIZE A LOT OF OTHER COMMON CITIZENS.

FOR EXAMPLE, CAB DRIVERS, WE HAVE PLENTY OF THEM OUT ON THE STREETS.

THEY SHOULD BE OUR EYES AND OUR EARS.

IF THEY SEE SOMETHING, THEY SHOULD SAY SOMETHING.

THEY SHOULD HAVE DIRECT TEACCES TO NYPD.

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CANNOT DO IT ALONE, THE MAYOR CANNOT DO IT ALONE.

ABOVE ALL, WE NEED EVERY NEW YORKER TO TAKE PART.

THAT'S WHY I WANT TO ENGAGE OUR YOUTH, MAKE SURE THEY WORK AFTER SCHOOL AND STAY BUSINESS AND TAKE PART OF WHAT NEW YORK SUCCESS IS GOING TO BE.

THAT'S HOW YOU STOP CRIME.

STOP CRIME BY ENDING POVERTY, BY CREATING OPPORTUNITY, BY BRINGING BUSINESSES BACK, BY LINING UP OUR CITY, BY TURNING ON THE LIGHTS.

ON A WELL LIT UP STREET, THERE'S NO CRIME.

IN A DARK ALLEY, THERE'S CRIME.

THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

WE NEED TO GIVE THESE KIDS THAT ARE IN JAIL VOCATIONAL TRAINING WHEN THEY'RE IN SO WHEN THEY COME OUT, THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE CRIMINALS THE SAME WAY THEY WERE BEFORE THEY WENT IN.

I KNOW WHAT TO DO BECAUSE I HAVE DONE IT UNLIKE EVERY OTHER CANDIDATE RUNNING FOR MAYOR.

THEY'VE NEVER DONE WHAT I HAVE DONE.

>> SWITCHING TOPICS, AS MAYOR, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO ADDRESS THE CONSISTENT AND GROWING PROBLEM OF HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY?

>> HOMELESSNESS IS AN ISSUE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED MANY YEARS AGO.

POLITICIANS THINK INSIDE THE BUBBLE.

I THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BUBBLE.

I WOULD NEVER PUT HOMELESS SHELTERS IN PEOPLE'S COMMUNITIES, IN PEOPLE'S BACKYARDS.

THE HOMELESS PEOPLE DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WHERE THEY ARE NOT WANTED AND PEOPLE DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT THE HOMELESS.

SO WHAT'S THE BEST AND EASIEST SOLUTION FOR US?

IS TO GO TO INDUSTRIAL PARKS AND BUILD HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS, BUILD MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES FOR THOSE THAT NEED MENTAL HEALTH, BRING FOOD BANKS TO THOSE COMMUNITIES AND MASS TRANSPORTATION.

THIS WAY THEY ARE NOT IN ANYONE'S BACK YARD.

I WOULD ALSO PRIVATIZE EVERY HOMELESS SHELTER.

SHELTERS SHOULD NOT BE RUN BY GOVERNMENT.

GOVERNMENT DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS.

THEY ARE A BUNCH OF BUREAUCRATS THAT HAVE NO BUSINESS EXPERIENCE, SO WHY ARE WE ALLOWING GOVERNMENT TO TAKE CARE OF THE HOMELESS PROBLEM.

THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A HUGE HOMELESS PROBLEM, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW GOVERNMENT IS RUNNING OUR SHELTERS, GOVERNMENT IS RUNNING THE HOMELESS AGENDA AND WE NEED TO TAKE IT OUT OF THEIR HANDS AND PUT IT INTO THE HANDS OF PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BUSINESS PEOPLE.

THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.

>> FERNANDO, YOU HAVE THE ENDORSEMENT OF GENERAL MICHAEL FLYNN, DONALD TRUMP'S FIRST NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR.

YOU HAVE FREQUENTLY TOUTED YOUR SUPPORT FOR DONALD TRUMP AND HAVE TALKED ABOUT HIS SUPPORT FOR YOU AND HAVE EVEN HINTED THAT HE MAY BE ENDORSING YOU BEFORE THIS CAMPAIGN IS OUT.

YOU EVEN ARGUE THAT HE DID NOT LOSE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

LET ME FINISH THE QUESTION.

THAT COULD ALL HELP YOU CERTAINLY IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, BUT MIGHT IT NOT HURT YOU IN THE CITY WHERE 20% OF THE PEOPLE ONLY VOTED FOR HIM IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND WHERE HE'S STILL KIND OF UNPOPULAR.

>> WELL, RAFAEL, LISTEN, I'M NOT RUNNING A POPULARITY CONTEST HERE.

I AM NOT A FLIP-FLOPPER.

I DON'T TELL YOU ONE THING TODAY AND ANOTHER THING TOMORROW.

I AM RUNNING FOR MAYOR BECAUSE I CARE FOR THE CITY, BECAUSE THE CITY NEEDS LEADERSHIP.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT DONALD TRUMP.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE DEMOCRAT.

THIS IS ABOUT WHO CAN RUN THE CITY BEST.

I BELIEVE THAT I CAN RUN THE CITY BEST AND THE JUDGMENT WILL BE ON ELECTION DAY.

RIGHT NOW GENERAL FLYNN IS IN NEW YORK CITY ENDORSING ME ONCE AGAIN ALONG WITH THE MOTHERS FROM MOMS OF AMERICA.

WHY?

BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THAT TRAVELING TO NEW YORK CITY TO ENDORSE ME IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

AS FAR AS DONALD TRUMP IS CONCERNED, I DID MEET WITH HIM.

HE'S VERY SADDENED BY THE STATE OF THE CITY.

I DID VOTE FOR HIM.

I HAVEN'T HINTED THAT HE WILL ENDORSE ME BECAUSE HE NEVER SAID TO ME THAT HE WOULD.

BUT I WILL TELL YOU ONE THING.

HE WAS A PRO LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESIDENT.

I WILL BE A PRO LAW ENFORCEMENT MAYOR.

THERE WERE MANY THINGS THAT I AGREED WITH AND MANY THINGS THAT I MIGHT HAVE NOT AGREED WITH, BUT I BELIEVE THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP DID THE BEST THAT HE COULD AT HEART FOR OUR COUNTRY.

AND I WILL ALWAYS SAY THAT AND I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT.

>> FERNANDO, WE ONLY HAVE TWO MINUTES LEFT.

THE CITY NOW IS ABOUT 7-1 DEMOCRAT AND THERE ARE A LOT OF INDEP INDEPENDENTS.

WE'VE HAD REPUBLICAN MAYORS IN THE PAST BUT THE POLITICS ARE SHIFTING MOVINGE ING MORE TO TH LEFT.

THE PUNDITS SEEM TO THINK WHOEVER WINS THE PRIMARY WILL WIN THE ELECTION.

HOW DO YOU PROVE THEM WRONG?

>> FIRST OF ALL, THEY'RE GOING THE VOTE FOR ME BECAUSE OF WHAT I HAVE DONE OVER THREE DECADES IN NEW YORK CITY.

THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE FOR ME NOT BECAUSE I AM HISPANIC.

THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE FOR ME BECAUSE OF WHAT I'VE DONE FOR THEM, FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES.

I BELIEVED THAT IT'S ONLY THE MEDIA THAT'S FEEDING THE PEOPLE THAT A REPUBLICAN CAN'T WIN IN NEW YORK CITY.

I HAVE BEEN WALKING THE STREETS AND I KNOW THAT NEW YORKERS WILL VOTE FOR ME.

I AM THE ONLY THREAT THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE IN THIS ELECTION.

THAT'S WHY WE'VE GOTTEN ZERO COVERAGE FROM THE MEDIA, BECAUSE THEY WANT ANOTHER DEMOCRAT TO WIN.

THEY WANT ANOTHER EIGHT YEARS OF de BLASIO.

THEY WANT CRIME TO CONTINUE RISING.

THEY WANT FOR OUR CITY TO GO DOWN THE TUBES.

I WILL NOT ALLOW THAT.

DEMOCRATS ARE TIRED OF CRIME.

DEMOCRATS ARE TIRED OF JOBLESSNESS.

DEMOCRATS ARE TIRED OF LOSING OF WHAT THEY SEE IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK.

DEMOCRATS HAVE DESTROYED OUR CITY AND THEY'RE NOT BLIND ED B WHAT THE MEDIA IS SAYING THAT A REPUBLICAN CAN'T WIN.

THEY WILL GO OUT THERE AND THEY WILL VOTE AND I WILL BE THE NEXT MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY AND I WILL MAKE EVERY NEW YORKER PROUD OF WHO WE ARE, NOT BECAUSE OF A PARTY LINE, BUT BECAUSE OF WHO I AM AS A PERSON AND BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE.

IF YOU GO TO MATEOTHEMAYOR.COM, YOU WILL SEE THE CONTRACT I HAVE WITH NEW YORK CITY.

YOU WILL READ THE CONTRACT I HAVE SIGNED FOR NEW YORK CITY.

>> FERNANDO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SAY GOOD-BYE.

OUR TIME IS UP.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU.

♪ >>"METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOENL SOENL SOHN FOUNDATION.

♪