Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, said on Fox News that he would “love to run” against New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a potential mayoral campaign, signaling a shift from his earlier stance that he’d never enter electoral politics.
During an appearance on Jesse Watters Primetime Monday, Portnoy told the host that while he previously believed he “would never get involved in politics,” recent developments have made him reconsider. “If I was going to run, it would be here,” he said, referring to New York City.
Portnoy highlighted his past contributions to the city as evidence of his qualifications. “I’ve done a lot of good in New York City—whether it was the Barstool Fund, pizza places—so it wasn’t for show,” he said, according to USA Today. He claimed there are “a lot of people who like me in New York City” and emphasized that he’s “had a real job” and “done real things,” contrasting himself with what he called “clown politicians who have never had a job and have never been in the real world for a day.”
Portnoy acknowledged uncertainty about his electoral viability. “Can I win here? I have no idea,” he told Watters. “I don’t know the demographics, if I could get enough votes.”
The Barstool founder has been a vocal critic of Mamdani since the mayor’s election in November 2025. After Mamdani won the mayoralty, Portnoy previously said he considered moving Barstool’s Manhattan office out of the city, telling the New York Post in 2025 that he “can’t stand the thought of Mamdani running New York City.”
Mamdani, who took office on January 1, 2026, is the 112th mayor of New York City and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. The next mayoral election is scheduled for 2029, according to the city’s four-year election cycle.
Portnoy’s comments come as Mamdani has been consolidating political influence. Last week, three congressional candidates backed by the mayor won their Democratic primary races, signaling the growing reach of the socialist movement in New York politics. Portnoy criticized this development on social media, writing that Mamdani is “turning New York into a socialist/communist anti American city” through his endorsements.
Portnoy did not specify whether he would run as a Democrat, Republican, or on a third-party line. His consideration of a mayoral run follows a broader trend of celebrities and business figures testing the waters of electoral politics, most notably former President Donald Trump.
Sources
- USA Today — Portnoy’s statement that he’d “love to run” against Mamdani and his claims about his work in NYC
- The Hill — Details of Portnoy’s Fox News appearance and his comments about feeling a duty to step up
- New York Post — Portnoy’s criticism of “clown politicians” and his earlier threats to move Barstool
- Wikipedia — Confirmation that Mamdani is the 112th mayor, took office January 1, 2026, and is a Democratic Socialist
- City & State New York — Confirmation that the next NYC mayoral election is in 2029
