Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy seemingly poked fun at the idea of running for mayor after hinting that he could run against Zohran Mamdani for New York City’s top spot in government.
Portnoy caught headlines after he told Fox News host Jesse Watters that “we need leaders to step up,” and if he were to run for office, it’d be in NYC.
Here’s what to know.
Dave Portnoy floats idea of NYC mayoral run
In a recent Fox News Channel segment on Jesse Watters Primetime, Watters asked Portnoy flat out if he’d run against Mamdani.
“I would love to run against … if I was going to run, it would be here. Can I win here? I have no idea,” Portnoy said. “I’ve done a lot of good in NYC … whether it was the Barstool Fund, pizza places, so it wasn’t for show.”
He then said that there’s “a lot of people who like me in New York City.”
“I’ve had a real job. I’ve done real things, unlike these clown politicians who have never had a job and have never been in the real world for a day.”
Portnoy responds after political speculations go viral
After social media went haywire at the idea of Portnoy running for a political office, he posted to X, seemingly in jest.
Holding a crying baby, he wrote: “Who says I can’t be mayor? I’m out here shaking hands and kissing babies. Look how happy this kid is!”
Dave Portnoy on Zohran Mamdani
Portnoy has previously said he’s disliked the mayor, claiming last year that he had thought about taking Barstool’s office out of NYC if Mamdani won the election (which he ultimately did.)
“We have all those people who that (messes) up their life just because I hate the guy,” he said at the time. “It’s a catch-22. I may close the New York office … because I can’t stand the thought of Mamdani running … New York City.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dave Portnoy responds after hinting at NYC mayoral run against Mamdani