A new day dawns in Democratic politics, and the Kennedy family no longer has the fame and fortune to defeat their seasoned opponents.
JFK’s grandson is running for Congress. Who is Jack Schlossberg?
JFK’s grandson is running for Congress. Who is Democratic social media star Jack Schlossberg?
Being a Kennedy was once a surefire path to success in Democratic politics. But that’s no longer the case.
Jack Schlossberg, the eccentric grandson of President John F. Kennedy, is expected to lose the congressional primary in New York’s heavily Democratic 12th District, despite his typical Kennedy hair and Ivy League pedigree.
With most votes counted shortly after polls closed at 9 p.m. ET on June 23, The Associated Press and NBC News showed Schlossberg leading Democratic state Reps. Alex Boaz and Mika Lasher by a wide margin. The Democratic candidate is expected to advance to victory in November and replace retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), a longtime liberal lawmaker from an affluent district in central Manhattan.
The race was not expected to be called immediately, but with more than 82% of votes counted, Mr. Schlossberg received less than 11% of the vote. According to preliminary results, Mr. Lasher received 39% of the vote and Mr. Boas received 35%.
Previous polls had shown Boas and Lasher in the lead, with Schlossberg trailing them.
Mr. Schlossberg, a 33-year-old lawyer, began his campaign by pledging not to accept any money from corporations or super PACs, promoted himself heavily on social media and previously attracted attention for bizarre antics, such as asking whether second lady Usha Vance was more attractive than her grandmother, first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Before that, she had posted a video of herself reading Lord Byron’s lyric poem “She Walks Beautifully” while wearing Lipstick.
Mr. Schlossberg faced criticism for his thin resume for running for office. Like many other descendants of East Coast elites, he holds degrees from Yale and Harvard but has never held elected office, although he spoke at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
Mr. Schlossberg’s work history was short. He spent several months at the State Department while his mother, Caroline Kennedy, served as ambassador. He also held temporary jobs at an e-commerce company and a distillery.
Nothing has ever hindered the Kennedy family. After John F. Kennedy was elected president in 1960, his younger brother Ted, barely old enough to qualify, waltzed into the veteran Senate seat from Massachusetts. Two years later, Robert F. Kennedy claimed a U.S. Senate seat in neighboring New York.
Younger Kennedys have achieved positions ranging from lieutenant governor of Maryland to members of the House of Representatives in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
But a new day has dawned.
Schlossberg sought to tap into her family’s history by talking about her family’s legacy of public service.
A survey commissioned by his Democratic opponents also showed him leading in early polls, with a 9-point lead from late February to early March.
He also gained attention for his uncle’s conflict with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called the failure of his 2024 presidential campaign a “disgrace.”
Kennedy-friendly neighborhoods weren’t enough.
Young voters and those disillusioned with the party may no longer be excited about the Kennedy connection, but it still carries some weight on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, which has a large population of older, committed liberal voters.
“Voters are still often drawn to names that they know,” said Basil Smickle, a New York City-based political consultant and Columbia University professor. “They also want guys who are going to be fighters in Washington, D.C.”
The problem is that Schlossberg wasn’t the only one with high-profile, high-ranking friends.
Mr. Boaz and Mr. Lasher have previously appeared on Manhattanite ballots in state elections.
Mr. Lasher, who represents the Upper West Side, has attracted a long list of endorsements from prominent New York Democrats. In addition to incumbent Nadler, he has the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg.
Mr. Boaz, of the Upper East Side, is backed by Our Revolution, a progressive organization founded by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. More importantly, Bolles, who has a degree in computer science, has made a name for himself as an advocate of AI regulation, and millions of dollars have been funneled to the district for and against regulatory issues. The AI issue appears to have changed the race, with Boas jumping into the lead in some polls.
Mr. Schlossberg had the support of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, an 86-year-old Democratic icon who met Mr. Schlossberg’s grandfather. Other celebrities also supported Schlossberg’s campaign, including “Saturday Night Live” executive producer Lorne Michaels, musician Paul Simon and former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to election filings.
As the campaign progressed, Schlossberg came under intense media scrutiny from The New York Times, which reported on high turnover within the campaign and allegations of erratic behavior.
In New York City, Mayor Zoran Mamdani, voting from his official residence on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, did not endorse a candidate for the 12th Ward.
Instead, Mamdani focused his energy on helping challenge the Democratic establishment from left-wing candidates in younger, less wealthy and more progressive districts in the June 23 primary.
Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Contact us via email (emcuevas1@usatoday.com) or Signal (emcuevas.01).
