Jack Schlossberg — grandson of President John F. Kennedy, son of Caroline Kennedy, and self-proclaimed “silly goose” of social media politics — just made it official: he’s running for Congress in New York’s 12th District, hoping to fill the seat left by longtime Democrat Jerry Nadler. And if the headlines feel like déjà vu, that’s because this is the modern Democratic Party in a nutshell — a nostalgia tour wrapped in a TikTok filter.
The Dynasty Rises (Again)
For a party that loves to lecture about “new voices” and “diversity of experience,” Democrats sure can’t resist an old family name. Schlossberg, 32, announced his campaign with a video pledging to “harness the creativity, energy, and drive” of New York and “translate that into political power in Washington.” Translation: the Kennedy brand is back, baby — whether voters asked for it or not.
Schlossberg’s pitch is built around a “new generation of leadership” — which sounds bold until you realize it’s the same slogan Democrats have been recycling since John Kerry still had a pulse on the campaign trail. But hey, at least this one’s got better hair and a TikTok account.
From Vogue to the Voting Booth
Before entering politics, Schlossberg carved out a niche as Vogue’s “political correspondent” in 2024 — because nothing says “working-class outreach” like reporting from the pages of high fashion. His quirky online antics, which Vogue charitably called “silly goose energy,” turned him into a Gen Z curiosity. Think of him as the influencer who quotes JFK while trying to sell you a donation link.
Now he’s pivoting from satire to serious policy talk — or at least as serious as a man who once made fun of his cousin’s health campaign by turning it into a Halloween costume can get. In fairness, mocking RFK Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” slogan might be the most bipartisan thing any Kennedy has done in decades.
The Kennedy Family Feud Goes Public
It wouldn’t be a Kennedy story without a little family drama. Jack has publicly ridiculed his mother’s cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., calling him a “loser” and taking repeated shots at his political movement. It’s the kind of Thanksgiving that makes Succession look like a church picnic.
But it also underscores something deeper about today’s Democratic politics — it’s a party that’s lost any coherent identity. The Kennedys were once icons of charm, competence, and optimism. Now they’re a split-screen sideshow: RFK Jr. railing against the establishment, and Jack trying to out-Trump Trump on TikTok while quoting Camelot speeches.
Running Against Trump… and Everyone Else
Schlossberg told The New York Times his campaign is about “pushing back on abuses of power by President Trump and his allies.” Never mind that Trump’s actually the sitting president now, or that most New Yorkers are just trying to afford rent. To Schlossberg, stopping Trump seems less like a policy platform and more like a family hobby.
“This is our last chance to stop Trump,” his campaign site warns, which is odd coming from a guy who hasn’t spent a day in Congress but already sounds like a DNC donor email. The Democrats love to claim that democracy is hanging by a thread — but when your savior is a guy who went viral for calling himself a “goofy Kennedy,” maybe it’s the messaging that needs rescuing.
The Influencer Era of Politics
Jack Schlossberg isn’t alone in turning charisma into credentials. He’s just the latest example of a Democratic shift away from governing toward performing. His generation of Democrats — think AOC with a trust fund — don’t run for office to fix things; they run to film it.
He’s already drawn comparisons to newly elected New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, another millennial progressive who’s made authenticity his brand. “We’re both trying to be authentic versions of ourselves,” Schlossberg said. Which, in modern political translation, means: “Please ignore that I’m a multimillionaire heir running on relatable TikToks.”
A Crowded Field, a Crowded Narrative
The race for NY-12 is already shaping up to be a crowded Democratic free-for-all. Schlossberg joins state assembly members Micah Lasher and Alex Bores, and journalist Jami Floyd — all jockeying for a slice of Manhattan’s progressive base. But none of them can compete with the Kennedy surname when it comes to fundraising and name recognition.
And that’s precisely the point. The Democrats love a good dynasty. It’s easier to reanimate the past than confront the failures of their present.
The Camelot Mirage
Schlossberg says his grandfather’s presidency is “a blueprint for how progressivism can work in America.” That’s a nice line, but JFK’s Democrats were strong on defense, pro-growth, and believed in asking what you can do for your country — not what your country owes you in student loan forgiveness.
Jack Schlossberg’s campaign feels more like performance art than politics. He’s a man trying to live up to a myth that no longer fits the party wearing it. His grandfather inspired a generation to serve; Schlossberg inspires a generation to click “like.”
Final Thoughts
In the end, Schlossberg’s run is less about policy and more about profile. Democrats get a familiar face to rally behind, the media gets another Camelot reboot, and Jack gets the validation that his viral videos weren’t just a phase. Whether voters will buy into the Kennedy nostalgia act in the age of Trump 2.0 remains to be seen.
One thing’s certain: politics has become show business — and Jack Schlossberg’s campaign is the latest sequel in a franchise that just won’t end.
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