'Sex and the City' actress Cynthia Nixon has clashed with the governor of New York during a debate in the campaign.
Ms Nixon is running in the Democratic race against the current office holder, Andrew Cuomo.
The two went head-to-head in a televised debate on Wednesday.
They fought over standing up to US President Donald Trump, health care policy, corruption and the New York subway system.
On President Trump, Mr Cuomo said: "Someone has to stop him - New York has always been the progressive capital, we made it the progressive capital once again.
"New York should be the state where we say we are the alternative state to Donald Trump and we're not going to let him bring his extreme, conservative politics to this state".
Andrew Cuomo and Cynthia Nixon shake hands at Hofstra University in New York | Image: J. Conrad Williams Jr./AP/Press Association Images
But Ms Nixon replied: "I would say that Donald Trump did tweet at you about whether or not America was great, and you backed down pretty quickly.
"You stood up to him about as well as he stands up to (Russian President) Putin.
"When it comes to opposing Donald Trump in New York state, we already have a corrupt, corporate Republican in the White House - we don't need a corrupt, corporate Democrat in Albany as his main opposition".
Mr Cuomo suggested: "My opponent lives in the world of fiction, I live in the world of fact".
On transportation - which Ms Nixon has pledged to 'fix' - Mr Cuomo said: "The subway system is owned by New York City".
Ms Nixon interjected: "The MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) has been controlled by the state since 1965" - to which Mr Cuomo said: "Can you stop interrupting?".
Nixon rebutted: "Can you stop lying?" - "As soon a you do", Cuomo replied back.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Marc Molinaro and Independent Stephanie Miner in November.
