Who is Jack Schlossberg? JFK’s grandson running for US House seat in New York

John F Kennedy’s only grandson, Jack Schlossberg, has officially entered politics, announcing that he will run for the US House of Representatives in 2026. The 32-year-old Democrat is contesting for New York’s 12th congressional district, a seat soon to be vacated by longtime Representative Jerry Nadler. 

In a campaign video posted on social media late Tuesday, Schlossberg said, “This district should have a representative who can harness the creativity, energy and drive of this district and translate that into political power in Washington.” His campaign is expected to launch formally on Wednesday, according to an email sent to supporters.

Entering the political arena

A political commentator and writer with bylines in The Washington Post, Politico, and Time, Schlossberg has built a strong online following by voicing his opinions on national issues. He has often been candid about his disagreements with family members, most notably his cousin, health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. Last month, he posted an image of a Halloween costume labelled “MAHA Man,” referencing Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” slogan, which he described as “including such things as measles.”

Schlossberg’s decision comes at a pivotal time for Democrats, who are aiming to reclaim control of the House in the 2026 midterm elections. “There is nothing our party can’t do to address costs of living, corruption and the constitutional crisis that we’re in,” he told The New York Times. “But without the control of Congress, there’s almost nothing that we can do.”

Nadler, who has served 17 terms, said in September that he would not seek re-election, telling The Times that a younger lawmaker “can maybe do better, can maybe help us more.” The district encompasses Manhattan’s Upper East Side, Upper West Side, and midtown.

Drawing parallels to young New York leaders

Schlossberg’s entry into congressional politics mirrors the rise of a new generation of progressive leaders in New York, including Zohran Mamdani, the 34-year-old state assemblyman who was recently elected as mayor of New York City. “If Zohran Mamdani and I have anything in common, it’s that we are both trying to be authentic versions of ourselves and meet people where they are and communicate with people in New York City and be present and show up for people,” Schlossberg told The Times.

Early life and education

Born on January 19, 1993, John Bouvier “Jack” Kennedy Schlossberg is the youngest child and only son of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg. He has two older sisters, filmmaker Rose Kennedy Schlossberg and journalist Tatiana Kennedy Schlossberg. Jack’s name pays tribute to his maternal grandparents, President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Despite his family’s fame, Schlossberg grew up largely out of the public eye. He occasionally shares glimpses of his close-knit family on social media.

An active sports enthusiast, Schlossberg is passionate about paddleboarding. In a 2017 essay for New York Magazine’s The Cut, he described a charity paddleboarding race around Manhattan, writing humorously, “Before the whistle blew, I accidentally fell in the river trying to make some adjustments to my board. It’s true what they say: Nothing tastes quite like the East River.”

Academic achievements and career

Schlossberg earned his undergraduate degree in Japanese history from Yale University in 2015 and later completed a joint M.B.A. and J.D. programme at Harvard Law and Business School in 2022. While at Harvard, he reflected on the legacy of his grandfather.

He began his career in public service early, working as a page for then-Senator John Kerry in 2009–2010 and later interning in the US Senate. After Yale, he moved to Japan to work with the distillery company Suntory, where his mother served as the US ambassador between 2013 and 2017.

In April 2023, he celebrated passing the bar exam on his first attempt, posting on Instagram, “TFW passed the bar – Jake Cyborg, Esq!” Speaking at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library’s Profile in Courage award ceremony later that year, he said it “feels great” to have achieved that milestone.

Family legacy and political stance

Schlossberg has long spoken about the influence of his family’s history. Appearing on The Today Show in 2017 alongside his mother, he said, “I’m inspired by my family’s legacy of public service. It’s something that I’m very proud of. But I’m still trying to make my own way and figure things out. So stay tuned – I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

That legacy, however, has not deterred him from expressing his independence. “I’m trying to be my own person and do my own thing,” he told People magazine. “We live in a really different time than he did, and I’m trying to figure out what I’m really interested in and what I want to do.”

Personal life and comparisons

Outside politics, Schlossberg is known for his humour and charm – qualities that remind many of his late uncle, John F. Kennedy Jr. Friends of JFK Jr. have noted their similarities, describing Jack as having “an ease and a sense of humour.”

He lives in New York City with his dog Chester, whom he once joked “looks exactly like [former President] Chester A. Arthur.”