Jack Schlossberg, the only grandson of President John F. Kennedy, lost the Democratic primary for New York’s 12th Congressional District on June 23, 2026, finishing in third place in a crowded field that included eight candidates competing to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler.
New York state Assembly Member Micah Lasher won the nomination, defeating Schlossberg and other rivals in the closely watched race. Lasher, who has spent his career in government as a former aide to Nadler and other officeholders, will be heavily favored in the general election, as Democrats make up two-thirds of the district’s registered voters.
Schlossberg’s campaign faced significant challenges throughout the race. According to reporting from The New York Times, his campaign was hurt by staff defections, with scores of staffers leaving his operation. The 33-year-old Kennedy scion, who holds a joint law and business degree and previously worked briefly at the State Department’s environmental bureau, faced persistent questions about his limited professional resume and seriousness as a candidate.
The primary was expensive and contentious, partly because of Schlossberg’s prominence as the social-media-savvy grandson of the late president, but also because the race became an expensive proxy fight among artificial intelligence interests. Voters were deluged with mailers and ads, particularly targeting rival candidates including Assembly Member Alex Bores, a former tech company engineer, and Lasher.
Before the race was called, Schlossberg appeared at his watch party to thank campaign workers and reiterate his message that Democrats need to put forward “frank, responsive and inspiring candidates” willing to speak plainly about the cost of living, corruption, and the Constitution. “We don’t just need younger candidates. We need different people,” he said, according to PBS News.
The field also included George Conway, a veteran attorney and former Republican who helped create the anti-Trump organization The Lincoln Project. Trump responded to Conway’s defeat by posting on social media that he was “a Trump Deranged Loser.”
Sources
- PBS News — Primary results, Schlossberg’s remarks, candidate backgrounds, and race details
- The New York Times — Campaign challenges including staff defections and Schlossberg’s professional background
- The Hill — Confirmation of primary results and Lasher’s victory
