Dave Portnoy Considers Running for New York City Mayor

Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, said he is considering a run for mayor of New York City, expressing a desire to challenge incumbent Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Portnoy made the comments during an interview on Fox News's "Jesse Watters Primetime" on Monday, June 29, 2026, citing his frustration with the city's current political direction.

The media personality stated that while he once believed he would never enter politics, he is now reconsidering. "I spend a lot of my day losing my mind with what's happening, especially in New York," Portnoy said. He framed his potential candidacy as a civic duty, paraphrasing a quote attributed to Plato about the risk of being governed by incompetence. "Sometimes, I do feel like it's my duty. I can't turn away. I feel like I could make a change. Maybe I do run in politics," he told the host.

Portnoy's remarks were prompted in part by recent Democratic primary results. Last week, three congressional candidates endorsed by Mayor Mamdani, a democratic socialist, defeated their establishment Democratic opponents. Portnoy criticized these developments, suggesting the Democratic Party had allowed a disruptive force to take hold. He also...