George Conway, a lawyer and prominent critic of President Donald Trump, has filed to run for Congress in New York as a Democrat, entering an already crowded race.
Paperwork filed with the Federal Election Commission on Monday indicates Conway plans to run for the 12th congressional seat, which is being vacated by retiring Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler.
Conway was previously a conservative whose ex-wife, Kellyanne, served as a senior aide to Trump during his first term.
“George is a seasoned fighter against Trump and Trumpism, and he’s considering taking that fight to Congress,” a source close to Conway told NBC News. “Today, he filed paperwork that is a prerequisite to run. He will have more to say in the new year after the holidays.”
Conway, 62, hinted at his congressional bid during a recent episode of his podcast on The Bulwark, where he announced his departure from the show to undertake the next chapter of his career.
He said it will be “either the stupidest thing I’ve ever done, or the best thing. We’ll see.”
He joins about a dozen other candidates competing to represent the district, which covers a large section of Manhattan. Among those running are Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, gun safety activist Cameron Kasky, and state Assemblyman Micah Lasher.
The Democratic primary will be held in June, followed by the general election in November.
Conway’s choice to run as a Democrat highlights his shift away from the Republican Party in recent years.
The Yale Law School graduate began his career by working on prominent conservative cases, including by representing Paula Jones in her lawsuit against President Bill Clinton, which garnered significant media attention.
Conway was offered a role in Trump’s first administration, though he declined to accept it, according to Politico. His ex-wife, Kellyanne Conway, managed Trump’s 2016 campaign and she later served as a White House counselor.
Shortly after Trump entered office, Conway’s relationship with the president soured, and the pair frequently exchanged barbs on social media.
Trump described Conway as a "whack job" and a "husband from hell,” prompting Conway to call the president “nuts.”
Since then, Conway has consistently criticized Trump on X, where he has amassed more than 2 million followers, and he regularly appears on cable news to bash the president.
In 2019, Conway co-founded The Lincoln Project, a political action committee committed to supporting Republicans who opposed Trump’s re-election. He ultimately backed former President Joe Biden in 2020 and former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.
Conway and his wife divorced in 2023, ending their 22-year marriage.
In November, The New York Times reported that Conway, who currently lives in Maryland, was looking for an apartment in New York’s 12th congressional district.
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