Michael Rapaport says he plans to challenge Zohran Mamdani in NYC’s 2029 mayoral election, criticizing his record and claiming he’ll fight back in a street-fight style.
Michael Rapaport is sharpening his focus on New York City politics, insisting he’s serious about a run for mayor in 2029—and framing his challenge as a direct response to his intense dislike of the city’s current mayor, Zohran Mamdani.
The actor and comedian. a 56-year-old New Yorker. made the comments on the May 12 episode of Chris Cuomo’s NewsNation show and reiterated that he plans to take on Mamdani when the first term ends.. Rapaport described his motivation as personal and civic. saying he believes the mayor has failed Jewish New Yorkers and should resign.
Rapaport’s language was blunt and combative as he emphasized that he would not approach the race like typical politicians.. He said he never expected he’d even consider running. but added that he would do it “with the best intentions.” He also argued that conventional politicking won’t work against Mamdani. claiming the only way to beat him is to treat the campaign with “New York City street fight mentality.”
In that same push. Rapaport suggested there’s no “out-nice” or “out-slick” strategy that can defeat Mamdani. doubling down on a more aggressive. rougher style.. He called Mamdani “the greatest bullcrapper in the history of politicians. ” and said that’s why his campaign would lean into a public confrontation.
While Rapaport portrays the 2029 effort as a fight. he also tied his opposition to a specific political grievance: their differences over Israel.. During the mayoral election cycle. Rapaport had told Cuomo that choosing Mamdani would be a “slap in the face” for the city’s Jewish population. and sources indicate the Israel-related disagreement remains central to his criticism.
The 2029 mayoral talk comes even though Rapaport has no political track record. In the entertainment world, his public persona is more complicated: after his run on NBC reality show The Traitors, castmates reportedly complained about his loud and “toxic” behavior and voted him off the show.
Rapaport previously teased a mayoral run earlier this year, describing the moment as one that pushed him toward politics.. On the “I Am Rapaport” podcast. he pointed to 2025 as “crazy” and suggested the outlook for 2026 didn’t look like it would calm down—using that framing to justify the idea of running.
Yet during the NewsNation appearance, he also appeared to admit that his campaign wasn’t wholly straightforward.. He said he would “only drop out” if someone more qualified could actually beat Mamdani. and he described his approach as louder and more aggressive than a traditional effort—saying “My bark is a lot louder than my bite.” In his view. the race would need to be an all-out dogfight rather than a polished campaign.
Mamdani’s supporters, meanwhile, have benefited from polling indicating that the mayor still holds meaningful public support. As of April, Mayor Mamdani has an 18+ approval rating, per a Marist poll.
For Rapaport. the leap from celebrity commentary to a prospective bid for the top job is the latest example of how New York’s political conversation is increasingly overlapping with mainstream entertainment.. If the campaign theme he’s already outlined takes hold. it could reshape how voters interpret both his intentions and his political credibility—especially given his track record is built far more on performance than policy.
At the same time. his repeated emphasis on Israel-related disagreements suggests the run—however long it stays in the realm of speculation—may revolve around a highly specific identity and foreign-policy fault line.. That focus could intensify attention from voters who already feel strongly about Mamdani’s approach. while sharpening scrutiny from people who question whether a celebrity-style campaign can translate into effective governance.
Michael Rapaport 2029 NYC mayoral race Zohran Mamdani Chris Cuomo NewsNation The Traitors entertainment politics Israel controversy