Michael Rapaport Says He’s Running for New York City Mayor to Challenge Zohran Mamdani

Actor and podcaster Michael Rapaport has announced that he plans to run for mayor of New York City, positioning himself as an outspoken opponent of newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Rapaport made the announcement on the latest episode of his I Am Rapaport podcast, where he repeatedly referred to himself as “Mayor Rapaport” before formally declaring his intention to run. He told listeners that the current political climate pushed him to act, saying he does not expect things to calm down anytime soon.

According to Rapaport, he has already hinted at his mayoral ambitions on social media. In a recent Instagram post, he described himself as a lifelong New Yorker and said he wants to make the city safer, more affordable, and more functional. The post also included harsh criticism of Mamdani, continuing a pattern of attacks Rapaport has made since Mamdani rose to prominence last year.

Rapaport has been one of Mamdani’s loudest celebrity critics, often using his podcast, social media, and appearances on conservative-leaning news outlets to attack the mayor. Much of his criticism has focused on Mamdani’s political views, including his stance on Israel and his background as a Muslim politician.

During the podcast episode, Rapaport said he plans to take his campaign seriously and encouraged supporters to get involved, even asking listeners to send in résumés. He told fans to start calling him “Mayor Rap” as he prepares for a potential run.

Mayor Mamdani, who is 34, won the election by a comfortable margin, defeating former mayor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent after losing the Democratic primary. Mamdani’s campaign drew criticism from some celebrities over his past comments on Israel and Palestine, while also earning strong support from others.

Actress Debra Messing was among the celebrities who publicly attacked Mamdani during the campaign. At the same time, his popularity was on display during an appearance on The View, where the studio audience reacted so enthusiastically that cohost Whoopi Goldberg had to ask them to quiet down.

Mamdani is also the son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, a detail often mentioned during his rise in national attention.

For now, it remains unclear how serious Rapaport’s campaign will become or whether he will formally enter the race. Still, his announcement adds another loud and controversial voice to New York City’s already intense political scene.