The only grandson of John F. Kennedy hoped to carry on his family's legacy from within the halls of Congress, but ultimately fell short to establishment darling Micah Lasher in a crowded Democratic primary
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NEED TO KNOW
- Jack Schlossberg, the only grandson of JFK, lost the Democratic primary in New York’s 12th Congressional District to moderate state Assemblyman Micah Lasher
- Schlossberg campaigned on his grassroots efforts and willingness to stand up to Trump, but faced challenges breaking through as well-funded PACs bolstered his opponents
- The race became one of New York’s most expensive House primaries in history, where AI regulation was a central issue
Jack Schlossberg's dream of advancing the Kennedy family legacy on Capitol Hill has been put on pause after he failed to secure the Democratic nomination in New York's 12th Congressional District on Tuesday, June 23.
Voters in the deep-blue Manhattan district took to the polls this summer to decide between a crowded field of Democratic candidates, including Schlossberg, state Assemblyman Micah Lasher, state Assemblyman Alex Bores, prominent anti-Trump lawyer George Conway and public health researcher Nina Schwalbe.
Lasher — a former adviser to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and ex-N.Y.C. Mayor Michael Bloomberg who earned the backing of mainstream Dems — received the most votes in the primary, according to projections from the Associated Press, sending him to November's general election as the automatic frontrunner.
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Schlossberg, the only grandson of President John F. Kennedy, launched his congressional campaign in November as an outsider up against much of the Democratic Party machine, which largely rallied behind Lasher. Schlossberg's most notable supporters included former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and his mother, former U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy.
Though Schlossberg and Conway — the ex-husband of onetime Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway — had the most name recognition nationally, Lasher and Bores were handily positioned in first and second place, respectively, in a trusted poll that was released in May.
Schlossberg, 33, framed his campaign as the grassroots option, dubbing himself "No-PAC Jack" as he looked to translate his social media influence into a political movement. With the tagline "Believe in Something Again," he frequently reminded voters that he was an underdog despite his family's name.
Days after entering the race, Schlossberg's older sister, Tatiana, revealed in an emotional essay that she had been quietly battling terminal cancer. She died in December at the age of 35, and Schlossberg returned to the campaign trail after the family honored her life, echoing a line from Tatiana's final essay at a nurse's rally two weeks later when he said, "Nurses should rule the world, if you ask me."
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“The last thing that she said to me was, ‘You better win,’ ” Schlossberg said of his sister on CBS Sunday Morning in March. "No one knew me better, and I knew no one better than her.”
In an interview with PEOPLE two weeks before Election Day, Schlossberg said, "I'm fighting for [Tatiana] and with her by my side every single day."
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While Schlossberg dominated national headlines during the primary race for both his personal and political endeavors, Lasher, 44, and Bores, 35, were the names flooding mailboxes and digital airwaves around NY-12 as well-funded PACs pitted the two against one another.
Each of the major Democratic candidates in the race vowed to use the House seat to fight back against the Trump administration, including by working to abolish ICE. But it was artificial intelligence that unexpectedly became the theme of the race.
Bores divided AI companies by touting his success in passing a landmark AI regulation bill in Albany and promising to fight for AI safety on Capitol Hill. Dueling AI PACs backed by big technology companies funneled exorbitant amounts of cash into the race, with some industry leaders appreciating Bores' pragmatic regulatory approach and others aiming to end his crusade by boosting Lasher.
Funding from outside interests made it one of the most expensive House primaries in New York's history, according to The Washington Post, and Schlossberg and Conway were largely shafted from the spotlight in the process.
On Election Day, Schlossberg was campaigning out in the rain despite the concerning polls, hearing stories from passersby about their Kennedy encounters over the years and taking selfies with starstruck supporters. “I want you to be president," a 27-year-old realtor told him, prompting a smile.
Following Tuesday's primary election, Lasher will now face off with Republican Caroline Shinkle — a corporate lawyer who ran uncontested — in the general election on Nov. 3.
New York's 12th Congressional District covers much of Manhattan, including the Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Midtown and Chelsea neighborhoods. It's the nation's smallest congressional district by area, and the state's most firmly Democratic.
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