Pizza and politics may be compatible.

On Wednesday night, it was at L&B Spumoni Gardens. The storied pizza joint was the backdrop for Michael Grimm and his supporters, less than two weeks before primary day and a day before the only live televised debate this primary season on NY1.

"I feel very confident going into it," Grimm said. "I don't really have to do a lot of prep for a debate because I know my issues inside and out."

The former representative for the 11th congressional district in New York — which includes Staten Island and a slice of Brooklyn — and the incumbent, Dan Donovan, will face off 7 p.m. Thursday on NY1. The debate comes after the two sparred in a radio debate Monday.

"I'm confident going into tomorrow, well-prepared. I think there's a stark distinction between me and my opponent," Donovan said Wednesday in Washington D.C. "I think that was evident the other day in the debate, I think it will be evident tomorrow, I think it will be evident on June 26."

While Grimm was rallying supporters in Brooklyn, Donovan was in the capitol, as Congress was in session, perhaps moving forward on immigration reform.

"The president has been asking since he took office for Congress to do something about our broken immigration system, and it's our responsibility to do something. So glad to see that we're finally moving forward with that. Right now, the plan is to vote on something as early as next week," the Donovan said. "So people are working throughout the night trying to get the language set so we can all look at it, we could digest it, we could debate it."

"I do think that immigration is one of the key issues in this race, and I think that's a stark difference between myself and my opponent," Donovan's GOP primary opponent said.

"The bottom line is when it comes to up and down votes," Grimm said. "Donovan voted against banning 'sanctuary cities.'"

It's a hot topic for these two, who have clashed over whether their records are pro-Trump enough.

Donovan has won the president's endorsement. That did not make a dent in Brooklyn on Wednesday.

"Regardless of Trump endorsing Donovan, I think Grimm will fulfill the president's agenda thoroughly," said one man who attended the rally at the L&B Spumoni Gardens rally.

Brooklyn is not an often talked about part of this district, but this slice of the borough could bring any one of these candidates over the top on primary day.

 

Watch NY1's congressional primary debate between Michael Grimm and Dan Donovan on June 14 at 7 p.m.