Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to endorse Jack Schlossberg in the race for New York’s 12th Congressional District.
Pelosi, who is expected to make the endorsement official on Sunday, told The New York Times that this is “a consequential moment for the country — faith in our politics is fractured and trust in government is tenuous.” She stated, “This moment calls for leaders who understand the stakes and how to deliver for the people they serve,” and described Schlossberg’s candidacy as one that “will help Democrats win nationwide.”
Pelosi’s endorsement of Schlossberg continues a personal and political history with the Kennedy family. Her father chaired John F. Kennedy’s 1960 campaign in Maryland, and Pelosi previously backed Joseph P. Kennedy III in his unsuccessful 2020 primary challenge against Sen. Ed Markey in Massachusetts. She has also expressed confidence in Democrats’ prospects this cycle, predicting the party will retake the House and install Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker.
Schlossberg entered the race in November 2025, declaring: “This is our last chance to stop Trump — it won’t come again. History is calling. Will we answer?” His campaign website outlines a 12-point platform titled “Promises to the People,” listing values such as patriotism, accountability, independence, and pragmatism.
Though Schlossberg has never held public office, he has been a delegate for President Biden at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, served briefly at the State Department, and campaigned nationally during the last cycle to mobilize young voters.
Despite being the grandson of President John F. Kennedy and the son of U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, Schlossberg has faced skepticism from party figures as he campaigns for the seat being vacated by retiring Representative Jerry Nadler. Nadler himself questioned Schlossberg’s qualifications in September, saying a successor should have “a record of public service, a record of public accomplishment.” While Nadler has not endorsed a candidate, one of Schlossberg’s opponents is Micah Lasher, a longtime aide to Nadler.
Other Democratic candidates include George Conway, a former Republican and longtime Trump critic, who officially launched his campaign on January 6 — the fifth anniversary of the Capitol riot — using a video that opened with footage of rioters storming the Capitol and Trump encouraging the crowd to march. In the video, Conway described Trump as “a corrupt president, a mendacious president, a criminal president,” and said the federal government under him was being run “like a mob protection racket.” He portrayed his campaign as a direct challenge to what he called Trump’s authoritarianism, tying the race to broader national concerns over democracy, justice, and rising authoritarian power. Conway’s campaign also emphasizes his opposition to corporate PAC donations and promotes a grassroots model, stating that “big money poisons our politics.”
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