The grandson of John F. Kennedy, Jack Schlossberg, announced that he will be a candidate for the United States Congress in the 2026 elections. The 32-year-old, only grandson of the historic American president, has already drawn media attention for his political expression on social media and his public interventions.
The descendant of the Kennedy dynasty, a well-known writer and commentator who has collaborated with outlets like the Washington Post, Politico, and Time, seeks to capture the seat of New York Representative Jerrold Nadler, who recently announced his retirement after three decades in office.
The new generation of Kennedys and the battle for Congress
In statements to the New York Times, Schlossberg emphasized that the Democratic Party needs “more voices to confront the abuse of power by President Trump and his allies.” With millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok, the young candidate aims to inspire the new generation of voters and make politics more accessible.
In 2024, he took on the role of political correspondent for Vogue, where he spoke about his inspiration from his family and his desire to serve “in his own way”. He describes his grandfather’s presidency as a “blueprint for how progressivism can work in America.”
His positions and messages to Democrats
On his campaign website, Schlossberg speaks of a “new generation of leadership” and presents “12 promises to New York residents.” Among them is the message: “This is our last chance to stop Trump – he won’t come back again.”
Schlossberg has spoken harshly about the Trump administration and his cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr., calling him a “loser.” As he told the New York Times, “without control of Congress we cannot address the corruption, cost of living, and constitutional crisis we are experiencing.”
Many Democrats, including Micah Lasher, Alex Bores, and Jami Floyd, have already announced candidacies for the same district. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a millennial generation representative, has not yet taken a position.
Schlossberg emphasized that he shares the same philosophy with Mamdani: “To be authentic and meet people where they are.”
