Former 'RHONY' Star Barbara Kavovit Has Dropped out of the NYC Mayoral Race

There’s no denying that running for political office is on the list of achievements for some celebrities. After all, Kanye West, Cynthia Nixon, and Clay Aiken have all put their hat into the ring to run for office. And it’s safe to say that the trend went into overdrive when former Real Housewives of New York star Barbara Kavovit announced she was stepping into the world of politics.

The former RHONY star entered the NYC mayoral race in January of 2021. Just a few months later, she announced that she was dropping out of the race. Here's what we know about what went down.

While Barbara entering the NYC mayoral race may be a bit of a shocker, the former reality television star has set her sights on politics for quite some time. In fact, she actually got inspired by Donald Trump.

“Well, I have to say, if Donald Trump could be President of the United States, I can be Mayor of New York City,” she told Page Six back in September of 2020. “You know, I’m a builder. I know how to build. I know how to rebuild.”

And she can actually back it up. The Bronx native founded Evergreen Construction, which she described as “one of New York City’s largest female-owned commercial construction companies, according to the NY Daily News. 

“Being in a tough, male-dominated industry had many challenges, especially not being particularly welcoming to females, but growing up in the Bronx taught me to fight hard and never stop for what I’m really passionate about,” Kavovit told the outlet. “I know something about overcoming adversity, creating opportunity and building something out of nothing — both for myself and those around me. And that’s why I’m running for Mayor of New York City.”

Fans began pouring out major support for the former reality television star on social media following her initial announcement. Some said that she had their vote, while others were interested to see what she would bring to the table for the city.

It can be a bit intimidating for a first-time candidate to make a statement and garner support upon entering the NYC mayoral race, but Barbara appeared ready to hit the ground running.

“There seems to be a lack of real-world experience by our current politicians and while they didn’t create our current crisis, there seems to be no plan at leading us out of it,” she said. 

She was determined to focus on rebuilding the relationship NYC has with the NYPD. “We need to reform and rebuild the NYPD if we are ever to find the balance of trust and safety between our communities and the police,” she shared. “We need a more inclusive economy that creates opportunity and equity for all.”

"It became apparent that I did not plan enough time in advance to pursue my mayoral race successfully, so therefore I am now endorsing the next best person to be Mayor of this great city, Barbara announced on Instagram before going on to endorse former rival Kathryn Garcia. Barbara's campaign failed to meet the petition requirements to get onto the primary ballot. Still, she hasn't given up hope of a career in politics. She said in her Instagram post, "You will see me again in four years." Best of luck to her!