Billionaire Bill Ackman said someone aspiring to lead New York City should run as a write-in challenger to socialist Zohran Mamdani, suggesting the funds would “pour in” for “the right candidate.”

Mamdani beat former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic Party’s New York City mayor primary election, an upset victory for the 33-year-old candidate. Ackman said Mamdani’s victory stemmed from his “inspiring campaign” in the face of “very weak” competition, noting that Democratic voters are “clearly tired” of the party’s past politics and its “aging and over-the-hill leadership.”

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However, Ackman warned of the “disastrous” effects Mamdani’s policies would have on the Big Apple, such as his promises of rent freezes and city-owned grocery stores, which are “certain to fail.” Mamdani has also advocated defunding the police, which Ackman said would make New York City “much more dangerous and economically unviable.”

“So why did I become optimistic later this morning?” Ackman wrote on X. “The answer is that NYC has woken up in the last 24 hours. The substantial majority of NYC residents understand that socialism is a failed system, that rent freezes will destroy our housing base and shrink the affordable housing supply while killing new construction, and that an anti-capitalist Mayor will destroy jobs and cause businesses and wealthy taxpayers that have enabled NYC to balance the budget to move elsewhere.”

Ackman said there are “young” and “charismatic” candidates who are also “more centrist politicians” who could run against Mamdani. Ackman said one problem this hypothetical candidate would have to deal with is running as a write-in candidate, but he said this election could turn into a “call to action that brings people in throngs to the polls.”

If the hypothetical candidate beat Mamdani, Ackman said it would be “a huge home run” for the city and a chance to “save the Democratic Party from itself.” He argued that the hypothetical candidate would be “a national superhero for the City, for the Party, and for the country.”

While Ackman said he knows a “superb candidate” who could run, he did not disclose who it is because of his previous support for President Donald Trump, which could dent the person’s possible run. As such, Ackman encouraged X users to make suggestions.

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“If someone is ready to raise their hand, I will take care of the fundraising,” Ackman wrote. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the right candidate. More importantly, it is an opportunity to save our City and be a superhero.  Life is short and you must dare to be great. The time is now.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who was elected in 2021 as a Democrat but is seeking reelection as an independent, has called Mamdani a “snake oil salesman” following the primary election. Ackman debunked a “totally false” report that would back Adams, though he said he could endorse him in the future.