Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of President John F. Kennedy, said Sunday that he is forming a committee to explore a run for a New York City congressional seat.
The inclusion of Schlossberg, 32, in the race is expected to heat up an already hotly contested race for New York’s 12th Congressional District after Rep. Jerry Nadler announced he would not be running for an 18th term, Axios reported.
The decision comes after Schlossberg posted a poll on his Instagram asking if he should run for office, with 91% of his followers urging him to do it.
The Kennedy scion has previously made headlines over his role as a political commentator and speaker at the Democratic National Convention, often trashing his uncle, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
He’s also gained some unwanted attention for his odd-ball social media antics and rants, including questioning whether Vice President JD Vance’s wife, Usha Vance, is “hotter” than his late grandmother Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
The Harvard and Yale Law School graduate also went on a foul-mouthed tirade against Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) earlier this year, telling the X CEO to “east s—t.”
Schlossberg has cozied up to top New York Democrats, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) tapping the Kennedy heir last month to join him on the America 250 Commission prepping the nation’s birthday bash next year.
Nadler previously dismissed Schlossberg’s chances of mounting a candidacy against him, slamming the Kennedy scion as a nepo baby with no real accomplishments to his name.
“Well, there’s nothing particularly good or bad about a Kennedy holding my seat. But the Kennedy, unlike Schlossberg, should be somebody with a record of public service, a record of public accomplishment, and he doesn’t have one,” Nadler told CNN’s Kate Bolduan on Thursday.
“And so, I don’t think he’s going to be a candidate in the end, and he certainly is not going to be a major candidate. There will be major candidates.”
If Schlossberg commits to the race, he will find himself running against state Assemblyman Micah Lasher, who is expected to be endorsed by Nadler.
Also running is Liam Elkind, 26, a non-profit leader and community organizer who previously criticized the 78-year-old Nadler as not having enough energy to challenge President Trump and lead a new wave of young Democrats.
