The Cohoes Mayoral debate started off addressing the elephant in the room: should Mayor Shawn Morse be seeking another term as he faces federal charges and domestic abuse allegations.

More than 200 people filled up this room Wednesday night to watch this debate with the primary less than a month away. 

His three opponents, William Keeler, Steve Napier, and Peter Frangie, say he should step aside.

“I think the city of Cohoes would be better served for that to happen,” Napier, (D) Cohoes Common councilman, said.

“Currently it does feel like there’s a divide in the community,” Frangie, former Cohoes City treasurer, said.

“Is this mayor the role model for our children? Do we want him at the commencement?” Keeler, Retired State Police commander, said.

“None of these men had to deal with things that I’ve dealt with. I [didn't wake] up one morning and [say] I think I’ll ruin my life,” Morse said.

The debate then shifted to Cohoes’ economics.

Morse says residents haven’t seen a tax increase since he’s been in office. But his Democratic opponents say that’s because of other factors.

“He inherited a $400,000 surplus in retirement fund, he immediately spent that down to zero,” Keeler said.

“We reinvested it and turned it into over $5 million worth of projects on Remsen Street,” Morse said.

“The idea we have unprecedented growth and we’re continuing to kind of get the grant money we were, is just not corrected,” Napier said.

“Yes we do need grants but we can not rely solely on grants,” Frangie said.

The four candidates continued to spar on the topics of crime, education, and the future of the Cohoes Community Center.

The facility abruptly closed in October.

“We need to find a private investor to buy it and he can do it a lot cheaper than we can,” Morse said.

“We need to support a healthy entity, a healthy board, [and] a healthy executive director in the community center,” Napier said.

“We got to keep the community center as a community center,” Keeler said.

With just a few weeks until the primary, these candidates are hoping their message Wednesday night will resonate with Democratic voters.

“One day I will pass sweeping ethics reform," Napier said.

“This is a campaign about you, and who can best fix your city,” Morse said.

“Getting us back on track is going to require experience, integrity, and leadership,” Keeler said.

“I’m not so worry about getting the glitz and the glamour and being able to say I didn’t. I can’t wait to say we did it,” Frangie said.

The candidates will debate again Monday night Cohoes High School. The primary is set for June 25.