Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of President John F. Kennedy, finished third in New York’s 12th Congressional District Democratic primary on Tuesday, receiving 10.7% of the vote with 78% of votes counted, according to The Washington Post.
Micah Lasher, a Democratic state assemblyman, won the race with 39.1%, while fellow assemblyman Alex Bores finished second with 35.0%. The primary was held to fill the seat of retiring Representative Jerrold Nadler.
Schlossberg’s third-place finish marked a dramatic reversal from earlier in the race. In March 2026, a poll commissioned by George Conway’s campaign found Schlossberg leading with 25% support, according to City & State New York. By May, he had fallen to third place in polling, behind Lasher and Bores.
AI Spending Transforms the Race
The primary evolved into one of the most expensive House races in New York state history, with at least $26 million in television ad spending that put artificial intelligence at the center of the contest. Super PACs backed by rival AI firms OpenAI and Anthropic poured money into the race, with Schlossberg and Conway dropping in the polls as the spending intensified, according to The Washington Post.
Bores had become a target of groups funded by OpenAI investors after shepherding a high-profile AI regulatory bill through the state assembly. His RAISE Act created new safety standards for AI developers in New York, which Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law in December 2025. Anthropic and its allies spent more than $10 million supporting Bores, while OpenAI-backed groups spent heavily against him.
Schlossberg had criticized the spending throughout the race, accusing billionaires and AI companies of trying to manipulate the election. The focus on AI regulation and industry spending left little room for other candidates, including Schlossberg and Conway, a former Republican lawyer and ex-husband of Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, who finished fourth with 6.2%.
Sources
- The Washington Post — primary results showing Schlossberg with 10.7% in third place, details on AI spending and the race becoming a proxy war between OpenAI and Anthropic
- City & State New York — March 2026 poll showing Schlossberg leading with 25% support
