Actor and comedian Michael Rapaport is doubling down on his ambitious plans to run for mayor of New York City. The 60-year-old New York native recently reaffirmed his intent to challenge current Mayor Zohran Mamdani in the 2029 election.
Rapaport plans to bring a "New York City street fight mentality" to the race. He specifically targets Mamdani’s democratic socialist policies which have drawn sharp criticism from those concerned about the city's direction.
"I never thought that I would even consider running for mayor of New York City, and I will do it with the best intentions," Rapaport told Chris Cuomo during an appearance on NewsNation. "And I won’t do it the way any other political person has ever done it."
The outspoken actor believes a conventional campaign will not work against the current leadership. "The only way to beat this guy is to make it and take it with New York City street fight mentality," Rapaport declared.
Rapaport was particularly critical of Mamdani’s public persona and political tactics. "There’s no way to out-nice him. There’s no way out-slick him. I think that he’s the greatest bull crapper in the history of politicians … and that’s saying a lot," he added.
The comedian emphasized the urgency of preparing for the next election cycle immediately. "But New York City needs to do something. We need to plan right now because 2029 is around the corner, and, yes, I’m running for mayor of New York City," he stated.
Rapaport mentioned he would only consider stepping aside if a more qualified candidate emerged to challenge the incumbent. "And I will only drop out until I feel like there’s somebody who’s more qualified that could actually beat Zohran the moron," he said.
The campaign promises to be aggressive and unpolished compared to typical political runs. "My bark is a lot louder than my bite. There's no way to out-finesse this guy, out-smile this guy. It has to be a dogfight. It has to be ugly, and that's what I will do in my campaign," Rapaport noted.
This latest announcement follows a preliminary declaration Rapaport made earlier this year in January. He has used his podcast, "I Am Rapaport," to signal that the current state of the city is unacceptable.
"Let me tell you something, guys, girls, women, children of all ages. 2025 was crazy, and I don't see it getting any … calmer or cooler in 2026, the way things started," he said. "That's why I'm running for mayor."
Rapaport took to Instagram to emphasize his deep roots in the city he hopes to lead. "Born. Raised. NYC. Nothing’s free. No bulls---. No fake grins," he wrote in a post.
He pledged to take accountability for his actions while fighting for a safer and more affordable New York. "I’ll own my mistakes, apologize when I screw up, and fight to make this city safe, affordable, and thriving. You got Zoron the Moron now…Mayor Rapaport is coming," he concluded.
The comedian has also been a vocal critic of New York Governor Kathy Hochul. He recently called for her resignation following anti-Israel protests that occurred outside of a New York synagogue.
"@GovKathyHochul, you’ve had 3 years to do a mask mandate & see if this stops the bulls---, you did nothing. RESIGN in SHAME," Rapaport posted on X. He remains one of the most visible critics of the current Democratic establishment in the state.