A vacant congressional seat in the heart of downtown Manhattan has sparked an all-out succession war, as nepo babies, rising stars, and longtime political stalwarts all cast their eyes upon one of the most coveted seats in the country.
Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler, 78, announced plans to retire from politics on Monday, after conceding that it was time for a new generation to take the reins. The 17-term congressman had represented his district in New York for 33 consecutive years, after first assuming office in 1992.
“It’s kind of unbelievable,” PR executive Ken Sunshine told The New York Times, describing the district as a “crown jewel.”
“Think of who lives in this district, from the Village to Chelsea, up the West Side to much of the East Side,” he added. “Think of the level of intellect, accomplishment, money, the creative arts.”
Barely 24 hours after Nadler made his announcement, New York power brokers and Democratic bigwigs from across the party’s political spectrum scrambled to test the waters in what is sure to be one of the most hotly-contested primaries of the decade.
Among the big names reportedly interested is former first daughter Chelsea Clinton, who has not officially confirmed her interest but is said to be actively considering a run, according to a source who spoke with Jewish Insider. Clinton has never held office but debated running for an open City Council seat during the last election cycle, and her mother, Hillary, was one of the first to voice appreciation for Nadler after he announced his retirement.
Jack Schlossberg, the social media influencer and only grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, also told The New York Times that a run for the seat was “certainly a possibility.” The political commentator has never held office but is being groomed for success by the Democrats, who have sought to portray him as a “new face” and “new hope” of the Kennedy family.
Other notable figures rumored to be entering the race include Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who had previously said he planned to challenge Nadler for the seat before the news of his retirement, and Sex and the City actor Cynthia Nixon, who previously ran for Governor of New York during the gubernatorial election in 2018.
Amongst Democratic insiders, Nadler’s former aide Micah Lasher is tipped to be the one to earn the congressman’s endorsement, with the 43-year-old Assemblyman thought to be the unity candidate due to his ties to establishment Democrats and his closeness to mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
”Micah is a friend. And I’ve appreciated the advice, the reflections, and the short time that we had together in the Assembly,” Mamdani said when asked if he would support him for the seat, but declined to give an official endorsement.
Former Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, considered by many on the left to be a dream candidate, has yet to declare her candidacy but is viewed by many as a strong frontrunner. She has reportedly been “shopping around for a district for months,” according to The Jewish Insider.
“It’s the most coveted and arguably important congressional seat in New York because of the history of political influence from that seat, Democratic strategist Evan Thies told Politico. “That allows you to be a national player and leader in the party, and you’re also representing one of the highest voting blocs for Democrats of any Congressional district in the country.”
Before his sudden change of heart, Nadler said he planned to serve the district for at least another ten years, and even once claimed he would like to die in office. His decision to step down was inspired by Joe Biden’s cognitive and physical decline on the 2024 campaign trail.
“Watching the Biden thing really said something about the necessity for generational change in the party, and I think I want to respect that,” he said on Monday. “I’m not saying we should change over the entire party, but I think a certain amount of change is very helpful, especially when we face the challenge of Trump and his incipient fascism.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to the candidates mentioned above for further comment.
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