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Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy questioned Wednesday why people who left countries he described as "disasters" are promoting socialism in the United States during an appearance on "The Adam Carolla Show," where he discussed New York's Democratic socialist victories.
"How we’ve gotten to socialism is somehow seen as this thing that’s going to fix the United States," Portnoy said.
"The people are saying it has all migrated from countries that are disasters to come to the United States to get away from their country to come fix the United States, the country that everyone wants to migrate to. It’s a very confusing time."
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Portnoy made the remarks after Carolla asked whether he would consider running for mayor of New York. He pointed to Zohran Mamdani and candidates the mayor backed in recent Democratic congressional primaries as reasons he has considered seeking office.
He previously left open the possibility of challenging Mamdani during a June 29 appearance at New York’s 92NY promoting his book, "Cancel Me If You Can." He told Fox News Digital that "somebody’s got to take that guy and beat him" and argued that Mamdani’s political rise threatened the entrepreneurial values behind the American Dream.
"Maybe I’m the guy to do it," Portnoy told Fox News Digital. "Depends on how much more he keeps pissing me off."
Portnoy said his interest in running changes depending on the day and described public office as something he sometimes views as a responsibility.
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"Sometimes I do feel like it’s my civic duty. If I’m not going to do it, who’s going to try to do it? I don’t know. I could win. So, it’s a real feeling I have," he said.
Portnoy said the victories have increased his concern about political developments in New York and nationwide.
"That to me is a very crazy, dangerous, shocking thing," Portnoy said.
He argued that organized activists have an advantage in low-turnout primaries because many other voters are focused on work, family and daily responsibilities.
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"The voter turnout in the New York primaries was minuscule and they’re organized and they’re stirring up their base," Portnoy said. "But most people are just getting on the subway, going to work, worrying about a date on Friday."
Carolla responded to Portnoy's broader criticism and described the activists as motivated by perpetual grievances rather than specific policy outcomes.
"I think the problem is these people are professional agitators," Carolla said. "They’re the grievance class and they have a grievance. They have a beef. They have a problem."
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Mamdani backed three victorious candidates in New York's June 23 Democratic House primaries: Claire Valdez, Darializa Avila Chevalier, and Brad Lander. Valdez and Chevalier are self-described Democratic socialists, while Lander defeated Rep. Dan Goldman by running to his political left.
Mamdani framed the results as evidence that Democratic socialist candidates could compete beyond New York.
"I think a Democratic Socialist can get elected anywhere across this country for any position," Mamdani told ABC News in an interview that aired June 28.
Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani for comment but did not immediately hear back.
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