Alec Baldwin hints at a 2017 run for New York mayor

Is the king of "30 Rock" going to run for mayor of New York?

Alec Baldwin said Tuesday he would "love to" run for the city's highest office after his contract with NBC is up in 2013, adding that "four years is an eternity in an American political life," he told Bloomberg TV.

"Let's see what things are like in 2014," Baldwin said."I would love to do it," he added, referring to jumping into the 2017 race. "I would still like to consider doing that because I do a lot of this work now and I wonder what it would be like if I had a staff and budget to do it." Baldwin, 54, has long flirted with the idea of running for office, but in December he said in a podcast he "lost [HIS]appetite" to run.

Still, the left-leaning actor has remained very vocal in politics, and he was in Washington, D.C. to advocate for more funding for the arts Tuesday when he dropped the mayoral remarks.

Former mayor Ed Koch told amNewYork that while Baldwin is a "controversial personality," elections are so unpredictable you should't rule anyone out.

"When I ran, less than 5% of people in the city knew my name, and I still became mayor nevertheless," Koch said. "So I don't disparage anybody who is thinking of running."

Baldwin's rep, Matthew Hiltzik, said the actor "has no plans to run, but if he did, I'm sure it would be a hell of a campaign [AND]it would be a great way for him to build upon his long record of advocacy and community service."

For some New Yorkers, a Baldwin mayoralty would be a dream.

"Alec is outspoken about our broken tax code and I don't think he would be afraid to take on the political establishment and stand up for what is right," said Gabrielle Acierno, 22, of midtown.

Still, others are more skeptical of any potential run.

"Fughedaboudit. It ain't happening," said Doug Muzzio, co-director of the Center for the Study of Innovation and Leadership in Government at Baruch College.

"He might love to be mayor, [BUT]running and getting elected is an entirely different story," Muzzio said. "He's better off uptown at 30 Rock."

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Other possibilities

Alec Baldwin may be the biggest celebrity talking about a mayorship right now, but there are some other New York luminaries who we'd like to see make a run at City Hall:

Tim Tebow
Though he's new to the big city, the wholesome quarterback could probably fill all the potholes, create more affordable housing and outlaw Jets losses ... and Giants wins.

Oscar the Grouch
"Sesame Street" is in New York, right? Oscar would take no guff from the special interests, and he'd run the budget with a garbage-pail-iron fist.

Sarah Jessica Parker
Her HBO show brought so many new people to the city. Now she should govern them as the city's first female (and self-narrating) Hizzoner. 

Follow reporter Tim Herrera on Twitter: @tim_herrera