Kennedy Legacy Meets Manhattan Politics: Jack Schlossberg Launches Bid for Nadler’s Seat

By Elena Vasquez, Political Correspondent New York, NY – November 10, 2025

In a move that blends the enduring allure of Camelot with the gritty pulse of New York City politics, Jack Schlossberg, the 32-year-old grandson of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, has officially thrown his hat into the ring for Congress. Schlossberg, the only grandson of the iconic couple, announced his candidacy on Friday for New York’s 12th Congressional District, a seat long held by retiring Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.). The announcement, delivered via a characteristically irreverent X post—”Hey guys? Time to trade the hoverboard for the House floor”—marks the first formal electoral foray for the Harvard-educated lawyer and social media sensation, who has spent years cultivating a progressive voice in Democratic circles.

The district, a Democratic stronghold encompassing Manhattan’s Upper East Side, Upper West Side, and Midtown—including landmarks like Lincoln Center and the Empire State Building—has been Nadler’s domain since 1992. Nadler, 78, revealed his retirement plans in early September, citing a need for “generational change” in the party amid the fallout from the 2024 election. “Watching the Biden thing really said something about the necessity for generational change,” Nadler told The New York Times, referencing the former president’s debate struggles that ultimately sidelined his reelection bid. His departure, after 34 years in Congress and a tenure marked by leading Donald Trump’s first impeachment as House Judiciary Committee chair, has ignited a crowded primary field. But Schlossberg’s entry injects star power and family dynasty into what was already shaping up as a battleground for the party’s future.

Born John Bouvier Kennedy Schlossberg on January 19, 1993, in New York City, he is the youngest child of Caroline Kennedy—JFK’s sole surviving child and former U.S. ambassador to Japan and Australia—and interactive media artist Edwin Schlossberg. Raised in the shadow of the Kennedy mystique, Schlossberg has long navigated the expectations of his lineage. Yet, he has carved a distinctly modern path: Yale undergraduate in history, followed by joint JD/MBA degrees from Harvard Law and Business Schools. Passing the New York bar in 2023, he briefly practiced law before pivoting to journalism, serving as Vogue’s political correspondent during the 2024 cycle. There, he blended sharp analysis with levity, explaining Supreme Court rulings in TikTok videos that amassed millions of views.

Schlossberg’s political awakening traces to 2007, when Barack Obama’s presidential bid captivated the then-14-year-old. “I was never forced into politics,” he recalled in a 2024 Vogue interview. “But Obama’s campaign inspired me to study my grandfather’s legacy.” That inspiration has fueled a vocal progressivism: endorsements for reproductive rights, climate action, and economic equity. At the 2024 Democratic National Convention, he electrified delegates with a nod to JFK’s “torch has been passed” inaugural, declaring, “That leader is Vice President Kamala Harris.” His social media—over 500,000 followers across platforms—serves as a megaphone for these causes, often laced with humor. A viral clip of him hoverboarding through Central Park while reciting poetry drew laughs, but his takedowns of Republicans, including accusations against his cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Trump administration’s Health and Human Services secretary, underscore a fierce partisan edge.

That family feud adds intrigue to Schlossberg’s bid. RFK Jr., known for vaccine skepticism, has clashed publicly with Schlossberg, who once posted, “RFK LOSER is choking so badly LIVE,” during a congressional hearing. Schlossberg, who identifies culturally as Jewish despite his Catholic upbringing, has leveraged his heritage in advocacy, supporting candidates like democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani in New York’s mayoral race. In a district with a 30% Jewish Democratic primary electorate, this resonance could prove vital.

Nadler’s exit amplifies the stakes. The 12th District’s Cook Partisan Voting Index of D+33 ensures a Democratic hold in the November 2026 general, but the June primary will be a proving ground for the party’s post-2024 soul-searching. Early frontrunners include state Assemblyman Micah Lasher, 35, Nadler’s former aide and presumed heir, who filed with the FEC in September. Nonprofit CEO Liam Elkind, 26, co-founder of Invisible Hands—a group delivering essentials to vulnerable New Yorkers during the pandemic—entered in August, pitching grassroots energy. Rumors swirl of a comeback by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who dismissed speculation with a quip: “Put down the mojitos.” Chelsea Clinton, another dynastic name, quashed bids for the seat.

Schlossberg’s platform, teased in recent posts, emphasizes affordability in a city where median rents top $4,000. “Manhattan’s not just for billionaires,” he wrote on Instagram, polling followers on rent control and public transit funding. He vows to champion antitrust measures against Big Tech—echoing JFK’s trust-busting era—and expand healthcare access, a jab at RFK Jr.’s policies. “Public service isn’t about the name; it’s about the fight,” Schlossberg told supporters at a Union Square rally last week, drawing cheers from young voters waving “Kennedy 2.0” signs.

Critics, however, question his readiness. Nadler himself downplayed the threat: “I don’t think he’s going to be a major candidate.” Online skeptics brand him a “nepo baby,” arguing his Kennedy cachet overshadows substance. “Prove you’re more than the grandson,” one X user challenged. Undeterred, Schlossberg retorts with wit: “If dynasties are the problem, blame the founders—they loved their sons of liberty.”

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, whose Brooklyn district abuts the 12th, praised Nadler’s legacy while nodding to the influx of talent. “New York’s delegation will remain a powerhouse,” Jeffries said in a statement, subtly endorsing the generational pivot. Analysts predict Schlossberg’s media savvy could dominate airwaves, but Lasher’s establishment ties and Elkind’s activism may split the progressive vote.

As winter sets in over the Hudson, the race evokes JFK’s 1960 upset: youth versus experience, charisma versus tenure. For Schlossberg, it’s personal. “My grandfather asked what we could do for our country,” he posted post-announcement. “I’m ready to answer.” Whether Manhattan’s voters see a torchbearer or a TikTok transient remains the multimillion-dollar question. With the primary eight months away, the district’s coffee shops and town halls are bracing for a spectacle worthy of Broadway.