Jack Schlossberg, a writer and grandson of President John F. Kennedy, said Sunday he is forming an exploratory committee to run for Congress in New York.
Why it matters: Schlossberg is a high-profile figure in the Democratic Party who would likely bring additional attention to what is already expected to be a hotly contested race in the media capital of the U.S.
- The seat, New York's 12th congressional district, became open this week after Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) said he will not run for an 18th term.
- In addition to Schlossberg, non-profit CEO Liam Elkind and state Assemblyman Micah Lasher are running for the seat.
- Several others, including former Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), state Assemblymen Alex Bores and Tony Simone, city Councilman Erik Bottcher and actress and former gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon are seen as potential candidates.
Driving the news: Schlossberg said in a post on X, "Hey guys ? have formed an exploratory committee."
- The 32-year-old graduate of Yale and Harvard has worked as a political commentator and spoke at the Democratic National Convention in 2020 and 2024.
- He has been outspoken on social media and is something of a prolific poster on X.
- Schlossberg has also made headlines for publicly clashing with his cousin, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., over the latter's skepticism towards vaccines.
State of play: Lasher is reportedly set to enter the race with support from Nadler, who is retiring amid grassroots pressure on older Democratic lawmakers to make room for a new generation of leaders.
- That support could be significant in a crowded Democratic primary field, and Nadler is seen as a still-potent powerbroker in the district.
- Elkind had made headlines as a 26-year-old congressional candidate who dared to take on Nadler,
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to show that Schlossberg attended Yale and Harvard (not Yale Law School) and that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is Schlossberg's cousin (not his uncle).
