Jack Schlossberg’s bid to bring one of America’s most famous political families back into elected office came to an end — at least for now — after Micah Lasher defeated him in the Democratic primary on Tuesday in New York’s 12th Congressional District to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler.

Lasher is a state assemblyman and former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul who was backed by Nadler. He defeated Schlossberg, the grandson of President John F. Kennedy, and several other rivals in a closely watched race to represent the deeply blue congressional seat, which covers neighborhoods including Manhattan’s Upper East and Upper West sides, Midtown and Chelsea.

Lasher campaigned as an experienced Democratic operative and public servant, highlighting his work in state government and his ties to some of New York’s most influential political figures. A onetime chief of staff to state Attorney General Letitia James, Lasher argued that his experience made him best prepared to tackle issues facing New Yorkers, including housing affordability, public safety and rising costs.

His campaign received a major boost from the endorsement of Nadler, whose decision to step aside in September created the open-seat race. Lasher also secured support from labor unions, elected officials and Democratic organizations across the district, helping him build a formidable fundraising and voter outreach operation. Throughout the race, he emphasized protecting Democratic priorities in Washington while presenting himself as a candidate with the experience and relationships needed to be effective from Day 1 in Congress.

Schlossberg, 33, entered the race with instant name recognition from his family legacy, but little political experience. He sought to become the first member of his family elected to office in almost a decade, but his campaign struggled to gain traction against a list of candidates with deeper roots in New York City politics and stronger support from local leaders.

Schlossberg launched his campaign in November, arguing that a new generation of leadership was needed in Washington and frequently invoking the Kennedys’ history of public service. He campaigned on housing affordability, improving public transit, mitigating climate change and government reform, while seeking to connect with younger voters across Manhattan’s East Side and parts of Brooklyn.

Schlossberg notably received a coveted endorsement from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The field remained crowded before Tuesday. It included state Assembly Member Alex Bores, who campaigned on technology and artificial intelligence issues. Also in the race were attorney and vocal critic of President Donald Trump George Conway, nonprofit executive Nina Schwalbe, software engineer Chris Diep, civil rights attorney Laura Dunn and attorney Patrick Timmins.

Lasher is expected to be heavily favored in November’s general election in this blue district. With Republicans rarely competitive in the Manhattan-based district, the Democratic primary effectively served as the decisive contest.

Leading into Election Day, polling suggested that Lasher held a narrow advantage, with Bores trailing in second and Schlossberg running a distant third.

For Schlossberg, the result represents a disappointing end to a campaign that attracted national interest but ultimately failed to translate the Kennedy mystique into electoral success.

The defeat also marks a rare electoral loss for the Kennedy family, joining the unsuccessful campaigns of Ted Kennedy’s 1980 presidential bid and Joe Kennedy III’s 2020 Senate primary challenge.

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