John Schlossberg, the 33-year-old grandson of President John F. Kennedy, is pitching a bid for Congress as a test of whether politics in a safely Democratic Manhattan district is still driven mainly by résumé experience—or whether a famous last name and modern media attention can move voters in a crowded June primary.
As a Kennedy scion, Schlossberg drew outsized interest after launching his campaign in New York City late last year. He already had a large social-media following, which the Associated Press described as including relentless attacks on his cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and frequent appearances that positioned him as a Kennedy heir.
Schlossberg also is benefiting from a separate attention generator: a hit TV series about his family, “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette,” which has stoked renewed Kennedy fervor, especially among younger viewers. The AP reported that spots tied to Kennedy relatives’ social life have drawn viewers to seek out the kind of look associated with the show, and it described crowds that have gathered for JFK Jr. look-alike contests in Washington Square Park.
Despite the buzz around the series and the Kennedy branding around him, Schlossberg has said the support he is getting is not simply a product of his family name. “They don’t just like me because I’m a Kennedy. Ask them how they feel about RFK Jr.,” he said. “They like me because of my experience, my ideas and they trust me because they see what’s going on with their very own eyes.” He also said he is not a heavy TV watcher, telling the AP, “I don’t watch much TV.”
One issue dogging Schlossberg’s campaign is whether he is prepared for office without a record of holding public power. The AP said a major criticism is that he has never held public office, even though he has tried to position himself as an outsider whose online following proves he can mobilize young voters and bring fresh ideas. Schlossberg acknowledged the political experience gap while pointing to other work and credentials, including a stint at the State Department’s environmental bureau, his joint law and business degree from Harvard, and writing political opinion pieces for Vogue.
In the policy arena, Schlossberg has emphasized one proposal aimed at household budgets: if passed, he would allow rent payments to be tax deductible. He also has defended his visibility on social media, describing it as an effort to engage “millions” through a “progressive and aggressive political message,” and saying, “I’m the only one who has engaged millions of people on a progressive and aggressive political message,” adding, “I’m not just an influencer who’s hawking products. I make informative videos.”
Others in the race have pointed to the same central question: whether family name and pop-culture momentum translate into actual votes. George Arzt, a longtime Democratic political consultant in the city, said he is not convinced that the Kennedy hype itself will be enough. “I don’t think that gets you votes,” Arzt said. “People will say ‘Who’s Schlossberg?’ And they’ll go ‘He’s the grandson of JFK.’ So? What’s that going to do for me?”
The primary is crowded, and Schlossberg’s campaign operates in the wake of Rep. Jerry Nadler’s retirement. Nadler has endorsed Micah Lasher, a former aide who now is a state Assemblymember and has portrayed himself as a seasoned, serious candidate. Lasher told the AP that “The voters of this district are highly informed voters. They do their homework before they make their decisions.”
Other challengers include state Assemblymember Alex Bores, who has drawn endorsements, including support from former U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney. George Conway, once married to former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway and later a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, also entered the Democratic contest earlier this year. Conway, a lawyer who helped create the anti-Trump Lincoln Project, told the AP that he sees a clear advantage for Schlossberg’s family name and for the attention around “Love Story,” but said he expects voters ultimately to choose experience. “There’s something very appealing about a young, fresh face and I think he’s very smart to play that up,” Conway said. “But I also think there’s something to be said for an older, experienced fresh face and that’s what I’m trying to be.”
While Schlossberg has tried to emphasize organic support—rooted in what he calls his experience, ideas, and attention to what voters see for themselves—the race’s outcome in June is likely to hinge on how much voters in the district credit modern media reach versus the long-standing political argument that governing comes with time in office.