Mauricio Umansky's next big adventure? Politics.
The longtime TV personality, well known as the husband of Kyle Richards on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and the co-founder and chief executive officer of global boutique real estate brokerage The Agency, might be looking to add the title of mayor to his growing resume.
Umansky, who is currently starring with his daughter, Alexia, on Season 5 of Fox's "Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test," opened up about his interest in potentially running for mayor of Los Angeles in a Sept. 28 interview with USA TODAY.
"I'm definitely into potentially running for mayor," he says, with his daughter confirming, "He's been talking about that."
Umansky, 56, continues: "I've been talking about it for a long,
long time and I think the timing could finally be right. I really think that I can help L.A. and California. I grew up there. I think it's one of the best cities in the world and I love my city. It's a melting pot. I'm Hispanic. I identify with the Hispanics, I identify with business people, and I identify with Jews − all of it! So I believe I understand the right balance and I think it's something that is definitely in the cards for me."
But don't expect the reality star to be planning any kind of campaign just yet. Besides the fact that Los Angeles is already in the midst of its mayoral race − current L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and progressive city councilmember Nithya Raman set to debate on Oct. 13 − Umansky is also enjoying adventures with his daughter before she sets her sights on a family of her own.
"I'll tell you what's next for us. We're going to go heli-skiing, most likely in Iceland. And then off to check out the middle of nowhere and go near the North Pole," says the real estate mogul.
"I want to squeeze in one more adventure with just my dad and I before I potentially, hopefully, have some kids," adds Alexia, who married husband Jake Zingerman last year. "So we were like, you know what? It's time, we've got to do it now."
As the adventurers of their family, both Umansky and his 30-year-old daughter wanted to explore the rigorous military mission challenges of "Special Forces" together. And as it turned out, being together was what got the two of them through the "eye-opening" experience.
"You know, being a father, you're always going to take care of your daughter no matter what," Mauricio explains. "I think at the beginning, there was a little bit of fear in me that it was going to be harder. But as we went through ... there were very important moments that she helped me and get through with certain challenges and watching her do certain things. So I think it ultimately ended up being mutually beneficial to both of us."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mauricio Umansky says his run for L.A. mayor is 'definitely in the cards'
