Jack Schlossberg says he’s running for Congress after hinting at a possible campaign following news of longtime New York State Representative Jerry Nadler’s retirement.
Schlossberg, 32, announced his campaign on Tuesday, Nov. 11, in an email to supporters and an interview with The New York Times. He told the outlet that he believes Democrats need a majority in the House of Representatives to restore democratic norms.
“There’s nothing our party can’t do to address the cost of living, corruption and constitutional crisis we’re in,” he told the Times. “But without Congressional control, there is little we can do.”
Mr. Schlossberg, the only grandchild of President John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy, has gained a large following on social media in recent years as he works to preserve his grandparents’ legacy.
The Democrat’s provocative approach to attracting attention online — from publicly wondering whether second lady Usha Vance is “hotter” than her grandmother Jackie to posting thirst traps waxing poetic about hypothetical heartbreaks — puts him firmly in love-or-hate territory, but he doesn’t seem to mind.
“I think the internet is a tough place to break through,” Schlossberg explained to MSNBC’s Jen Psaki in February. “Unless you’re saying something particularly controversial, or at least something unexpected, it’s hard to break through.” “And I think you can see the Democrats aren’t playing that game as well as we are.”
Even though he’s lost in the chaotic torrent of sarcastic posts that circulate weekly on his Instagram Stories, Schlossberg manages to slip in genuine political views that make him an asset to the leaderless Democratic Party.
His web series “Test Drive,” launched in July 2025, is a way for him to dig deeper into current events, with episodes ranging from 12 minutes to one hour. Recorded from inside a black Sprinter van, he talks about the news and whatever comes to mind, whether it’s Sidney Sweeney’s divisive American Eagle ad, Stephen Colbert’s sudden ouster from CBS, or the Trump administration’s attacks on higher education.
Schlossberg’s foray into political discourse accelerated after his controversial relative Robert F. Kennedy Jr. entered the 2023 presidential race, even though the Kennedy family overwhelmingly supported Democratic incumbent Joe Biden.
At the time, Mr. Schlossberg accused RFK Jr., an anti-vaccine activist and political maverick of the family, of using Kennedy’s name for personal gain without furthering the work started by his uncles, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.
“President John F. Kennedy was my grandfather, and his legacy is important,” Schlossberg said. “This is more than Camelot and conspiracy theories. It’s about public service and courage. It’s about civil rights, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the moon landing.”
Schlossberg went on to say, “If my cousin Bobby Kennedy Jr. cared about any of them, he would support Joe Biden, too.”
Stephen Sene/AP Photo
Mr. Schlossberg, the son of American diplomat Caroline Kennedy, studied history at Yale University and served as editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper. After earning her bachelor’s degree in 2015, she followed her mother to Japan, where she served as an ambassador during President Barack Obama’s second term.
Schlossberg then returned to the United States and enrolled at Harvard University, where he earned a master’s degree in business administration and a juris doctorate. In contrast to his beloved uncle, John F. Kennedy Jr., to whom he is often compared, he claimed to have passed the New York bar exam in 2023 on the first try, placing in the top 1%.
When asked by Town & Country magazine if he would be interested in joining the Kennedy “family business” and running for president in 2024, he told the magazine, “Not right away, but I love politics. I love public service. I’m inspired by my family tradition. But I have no immediate plans.”
Michael Loccisano/Getty
After Mr. Nadler, 78, announced his upcoming retirement from Congress and vacated his coveted NY-12 House seat after 14 terms, Mr. Schlossberg reportedly softened on the idea of running for elective office and established a review committee for a possible 2026 campaign.
New York City’s 12th Congressional District, which includes much of midtown and uptown Manhattan, is the nation’s smallest Congressional district by area and the most Democratic-leaning district in the state.
Mr. Nadler called for “generational change” on his behalf, but Democratic leaders added an asterisk after learning a few days later that Mr. Schlossberg might run.
“There’s nothing particularly good or bad about President Kennedy holding my seat,” Nadler told CNN’s Kate Bolduan. “But unlike Schlossberg, Kennedy should be someone with a track record of public service and public accomplishments, and he doesn’t have that.”
Nadler predicted that Kennedy, a millennial, “certainly won’t be a major candidate.”
Schlossberg, who played an active role at the JFK Library and Museum and twice spoke at the Democratic National Convention, appeared to take Nadler’s comments as a challenge, using his Instagram in the days that followed to promote his credentials and share parts of his platform.
Never miss a news. Sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up to date on what PEOPLE has to offer.
Schlossberg is not necessarily the front-runner in the 2026 House race, and he will be taking on the likes of New York State Representative Micah Lasher and Gen Z Rhodes scholar Liam Elkind. New York State Congressman Alex Boaz has also started campaigning.
Other rumored candidates include 79-year-old former Rep. Carolyn Maloney, a Democratic official who was ousted by Nadler in 2022 after redistricting the seats, as well as Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon, journalist Molly Jonfast, former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and several city council members. Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton’s aides have shut down tweets about her candidacy.
Mr. Schlossberg’s grandfather, Mr. JFK, began his career in the House of Representatives, representing Massachusetts for six years, then serving as a senator and president. JFK was only 29 years old when he won his first Congressional election.
