Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy announced on Monday his interest in challenging New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, stating "I would love to run." Portnoy, who indicated he voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 election, suggested his experience in the business world and his past philanthropic efforts, such as the Barstool Fund, would make him a viable candidate.
"I’ve had a real job. I’ve done real things. Unlike these clown politicians who have never had a job and never been in the real world for a day," Portnoy said during an appearance on Fox News host Jesse Watters' program. He pointed to the Barstool Fund, which he launched in 2020 with $500,000 of his own money and which raised over $41 million to aid small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, as evidence of his capability. He also mentioned his popular YouTube series of pizza reviews.
Mamdani's public record includes work as a foreclosure prevention counselor in Queens and his current role as the first Muslim mayor of New York City. Portnoy has previously criticized Mamdani, calling him a "communist" and expressing a desire to move his digital media company's headquarters out of New York City.
Portnoy's remarks quickly drew criticism on social media platforms, with many users questioning the comparison between managing a media company and governing a major city. "Apparently managing New York City isn’t a real job, but writing blog posts about pizza is. Good to know where we’ve set the bar," one user commented on X. Others expressed a desire to see Portnoy run, anticipating a significant public defeat.
Some critics also drew parallels to other political figures, noting that Curtis Sliwa, a long-time New York City fixture, had previously run for mayor and lost, despite having what some considered more "street cred." Others highlighted Mamdani's work in assisting New Yorkers with housing affordability as a stark contrast to Portnoy's focus on business interests.
Portnoy also misquoted Plato in his statement, suggesting, "If you don’t do your public service and run for office, you’re doomed to be run by, basically, dummies." The actual quote is attributed as, "The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men."
Despite expressing reservations about the demands and potential disruption to his personal life, Portnoy suggested a sense of civic duty could compel him to run. "But sometimes I do feel like it’s my duty. I can’t turn away," he stated.