Eight Democrats Are Racing for Jerry Nadler's Manhattan Seat. Here Is What Voters Actually Know About Them.

Eight Names, One Seat, No Clear Front-Runner

Jerry Nadler is retiring after 17 terms representing Manhattan's 12th Congressional District. Eight Democrats want the job. By most accounts, four of them have a real shot.

Early voting in the New York state primary opened June 13. As of June 22, polling has been volatile enough that no candidate has locked up a clear lead, according to both The Guardian and Irish Times reporting on the race.

Who the Four Front-Runners Are

Micah Lasher is a New York state assemblyman who describes himself, accurately, as a "nerd." He has roughly two decades of experience in New York politics and carries endorsements from Nadler himself, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, according to WSLS/AP. Grace Peacore, Lasher's communications director, told the Irish Times that Upper West Side voters are "highly educated, know a lot about what is going on and what they want in a Congress member."

Alex Bores, also a state assemblyman, has made artificial intelligence regulation a centerpiece. The Guardian reports his campaign has become a proxy war between rival AI companies pouring money into the race. He is pushing a tax on second homes, per Irish Times.

George Conway is the former Republican attorney best known for his public break with Donald Trump. He leads the field in fundraising, according to WSLS/AP. Conway has been attempting, in The Guardian's wording, to "cultivate a hard-man persona" — an unusual play for a Manhattan Democratic primary.

Jack Schlossberg, 33, is the grandson of President John F. Kennedy. He has a joint JD and MBA from Yale and no experience in elected office. In 2024 he was hired as a political correspondent for Vogue, where The Guardian counts seven published pieces. His recent campaign content has included paddleboarding photos, bodybuilding videos in front of supporters, and thirst-trap Instagram posts. The Irish Times frames this as a deliberate "21st-century campaign" strategy modeled loosely on the digital ground game that powered Zohran Mamdani's New York City mayoral primary run.

The Strongest Case for Schlossberg

Democrats have spent two years getting hammered for putting forward elderly, out-of-touch leadership. Schlossberg is young, visually compelling, and draws genuine crowds. His supporters argue that in a heavily media-saturated district, name recognition and energy matter — and that comparing his experience to Nadler's in 1992 misses the point of 2026 politics. Whether that argument holds up against candidates with actual legislative records is the central question voters have to answer.

The counter is straightforward: seven Vogue articles and a famous grandfather are not qualifications for Congress. Lasher alone has two decades of state-level policy work. Bores and Conway both bring substantive professional credentials. Schlossberg's supporters have not made a convincing case for what he would do in office beyond opposing Trump.

Mamdani's Shadow Over Multiple Races

Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, who is not on the ballot himself, has emerged as a power broker across multiple New York congressional primaries. WSLS/AP reports he has endorsed challengers to two Democratic incumbents.

In the 10th District, he is backing former city Comptroller Brad Lander against incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman. In the 13th District, he supports doctoral student Darializa Avila Chevalier against five-term incumbent Adriano Espaillat. In the 7th District, his endorsement of state Assemblywoman Claire Valdez puts him against retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez's chosen successor, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.

Mamdani's backing is notably absent from the NY-12 race, where Nadler's own endorsement of Lasher carries more weight.

One Race Republicans Are Watching

The 17th Congressional District — northern suburbs, swing territory — is the race with general-election consequences. Democrat Kamala Harris carried it narrowly in 2024. Trump won Rockland, Putnam, and Dutchess counties by double digits. Five Democrats are competing to take on Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, who is unopposed in his primary. Former White House counterterrorism official and Army combat veteran Cait Conley leads in fundraising and cash on hand as of early June, followed by Rockland County Legislator Beth Davidson, per WSLS/AP. That November race is a genuine toss-up regardless of who wins Tuesday's Democratic primary.

What Comes Next

Primary day is Tuesday, June 24. The winner of NY-12 will almost certainly win the general election in November — this is one of the safest Democratic seats in the country. The unresolved question heading into Tuesday is whether Conway's fundraising advantage translates into votes, or whether Lasher's institutional endorsements and Schlossberg's celebrity outperform it. No public poll has separated any of the top four by a margin outside the error range.