A crowded Democratic primary in Manhattan has turned into a high-stakes test of name recognition, political experience, and outside money. Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of President John F. Kennedy, is among the contenders trying to win an open congressional seat with national attention attached to the race.
The winner is expected to be well positioned for the November general election to replace longtime Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler, who is retiring. Democrats make up about two-thirds of the district’s registered voters, making the primary the decisive contest in a district that leans heavily blue.
Schlossberg leans on dynasty and social media
Schlossberg entered the race with the kind of star power few candidates can match, but he also faced questions about his limited professional resume. The 33-year-old has a joint law and business degree, worked briefly at the State Department’s environmental bureau and has written political opinion pieces for Vogue.
He has tried to present himself as more than a famous surname, telling The Associated Press this spring that supporters “don’t just like me because I’m a Kennedy.” He said they like him for his “experience, my ideas” and because they trust what they can see with their own eyes.
AI money turns the race into a proxy fight
The campaign also drew unusual attention because it became an expensive battle over artificial intelligence policy. Money flowed in as some tech and AI companies lined up against candidate Alex Bores, a state Assembly member and former tech company engineer who wrote legislation many in the industry opposed.
Other AI interests that favor tighter regulation pushed back by trying to help Bores, turning the contest into a proxy fight over how far lawmakers should go in regulating the sector. Bores told CNN on Tuesday evening that “the battle lines, in this race in particular, are whether we can regulate AI at all.”
Established names and competing endorsements
Voters were deluged with mailers and ads, especially around Bores and Micah Lasher, another state Assembly member and former Nadler aide. Lasher highlighted his long government experience working for Nadler and others, while Bores cast himself as a fresher face willing to stand up to powerful interests.
The race also featured dueling endorsements from two political rivals in the district’s recent history. Nadler endorsed Lasher, while Carolyn Maloney backed Bores after Nadler defeated her in a 2022 primary when their once-neighboring districts were largely combined by redrawn maps.
Another familiar political name
George Conway brought his own recognition to the contest, though not always on terms he might have preferred. A veteran attorney and former Republican, he helped create the anti-Trump Lincoln Project and was once married to Kellyanne Conway, a former adviser to Donald Trump before distancing herself from both him and her husband.
Several other candidates also sought the nomination in the closely watched race. With polls now closed, the contest will determine which Democrat heads into the fall campaign with the advantage in one of Manhattan’s most visible open seats.