Jack Schlossberg’s Primary Loss Highlights Dynastic Shift

On Tuesday, Jack Schlossberg, 33, grandson of President John F. Kennedy, finished third in the Democratic primary for New York’s 12th Congressional District. He earned about 11 % of the vote, behind Assemblymember Micah Lasher (39 %) and Assemblymember Alex Bores (35 %). The result marks a primary loss for a Kennedy candidate in a stronghold.

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The Kennedy name rose after John F. Kennedy’s 1960 presidential win, with brothers Robert and Edward serving as senators and holding congressional seats. The last Kennedy to win federal office was Rep. Joe Kennedy III, re-elected in 2018. His 2022 Senate primary loss to Ed Markey was the first Kennedy defeat in Massachusetts, indicating a long-term electoral decline.

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The race featured three candidates. Assemblymember Micah Lasher, backed by the state Democratic establishment, led with 39 % of the vote. Assemblymember Alex Bores, a progressive, earned 35 %. Jack Schlossberg, the Kennedy grandson, campaigned on social media and secured 11 %.

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Official results show Lasher with 39 %, Bores with 35 %, and Schlossberg with 11 %; the rest was split among minor candidates. The district’s electorate is described as highly educated and older, a factor noted by analysts as influencing voter preferences.

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Schlossberg’s campaign framed his candidacy as a generational bridge, emphasizing policy over pedigree. He argued Democrats must adopt “new energy” and improve outreach to younger voters, positioning his social-media strategy as a response to a changing media landscape.

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Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, criticized the campaign’s reliance on name recognition. He said the Kennedy brand alone cannot win without substantive policy, that the campaign “assumed too much” about voter awareness of the dynasty, and warned the myth is fading as its witnesses age.

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The loss highlights a shift from elected office to appointed roles for the Kennedys. Caroline Kennedy served as ambassador to Japan and Australia; Joe Kennedy III is a special envoy to Northern Ireland; and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., after ending his 2024 presidential bid, is Secretary of Health and Human Services. The Kennedys now exert influence mainly through appointments and advocacy rather than elections.

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• “During the campaign, he told New York broadcaster NY1 that Democrats needed "new energy" and a stronger connection with younger voters.” — Jack Schlossberg, candidate

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• “the Kennedy dynasty would fade as the Kennedy myth faded.” — Larry Sabato

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• “And that alone would not have been enough to elect him or nominate him anyway, but assuming that was a major mistake.” — Larry Sabato

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• “There's almost nobody left.” — Larry Sabato

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Newsweek’s outreach to Schlossberg’s campaign office did not receive a response before publication. No official comment from the New York Democratic Party or the state Board of Elections appears in the sources, leaving the campaign’s internal strategy undocumented.

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