Young Progressives Crowd Race for Nadler’s NY Congressional Seat

A new wave of young, progressive candidates is emerging in New York City’s political landscape, with the latest entrant being 25-year-old Democratic activist Cameron Kasky, who announced his campaign Tuesday for New York’s 12th Congressional District.

Kasky joins a rapidly expanding field of contenders vying to replace Rep. Jerry Nadler, the 78-year-old Democrat who is retiring at the end of next year after decades representing Manhattan’s West Side.

“New Yorkers are always on the move, reaching new heights, and rushing towards the future, but today’s leaders just can’t keep up,” Kasky declared in his announcement video, which features the Gen-Z activist navigating busy city streets and public transportation between stylized jump cuts.

The video’s cinematic approach mirrors the style popularized by Zohran Mamdani, the 34-year-old democratic socialist recently elected as New York City’s mayor. Kasky’s entry comes as progressives across the country, particularly in New York, seek to capitalize on Democratic momentum following gubernatorial victories in New Jersey and Virginia.

Kasky gained national recognition as a survivor of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, subsequently co-founding March For Our Lives, a student-led organization advocating for gun control legislation. His platform includes Medicare for All, opposition to “funding genocide,” and abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Perhaps the most high-profile candidate in the race is Jack Schlossberg, grandson of President John F. Kennedy. Despite his political pedigree, Schlossberg is better known to many New Yorkers as a social media personality with nearly 850,000 TikTok followers and 770,000 on Instagram. His résumé includes a recent stint as a political correspondent for Vogue during the 2024 presidential election.

The contest reflects broader tensions within the Democratic Party about its future direction and leadership. This generational shift is playing out simultaneously in neighboring districts, where New York City Council member Chi Ossé recently launched a primary challenge against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Interestingly, even Mayor-elect Mamdani has expressed reservations about Ossé’s challenge, suggesting it’s not “the right time” to contest the highest-ranking House Democrat’s seat.

The field extends well beyond Kasky and Schlossberg. Nonprofit leader Liam Elkind, 26, has entered the race with promises to “actually fight Trump,” improve the Democratic Party, end corruption, and advocate for affordability and civil rights.

State Assembly members Micah Lasher, 43, and Alex Bores, who is in his mid-30s, have also declared their candidacies. Lasher aims to “revitalize the Democratic Party, fight Trump’s agenda, and deliver results,” while Bores argues that “big systems have stopped working for the little guys.”

City Council member Erik Bottcher, 46, has entered the race pledging to “keep the New York City dream alive and take back our country.”

The diverse field also includes civil rights lawyer Laura Dunn, 40; former journalist Jami Floyd, 61, who has positioned herself as a moderate; finance executive Alan Pardee, 58; and LGBTQ rights activist Matthew Shurka, 37.

Nadler’s district encompasses a significant swath of Manhattan, including Chelsea, Greenwich Village, Midtown, Hell’s Kitchen, and the Upper West Side, making it one of the most influential and politically engaged constituencies in the country.

The crowded primary reflects both the safe Democratic nature of the district and the evolving dynamics within the party as a new generation of progressives seeks to reshape its future direction and priorities.