4 Democrats Battle for Nadler's 34-Year NY-12 Seat With No Clear Front-Runner

3 articles · Updated · The New Yorker · Jun 22

Jerry Nadler’s retirement after 34 years has turned New York’s safely Democratic 12th District into a crowded, volatile primary with Micah Lasher, Alex Bores, George Conway and Jack Schlossberg leading an eight-candidate field.
Polls have been erratic rather than clarifying the race: Schlossberg has been shown as high as 22% and as low as 11%, while Lasher has ranged from 22% to 14%, underscoring the lack of a clear favorite.
Each contender is trying to carve out a narrow lane—Lasher with Nadler and establishment backing, Bores with an AI-regulation profile, Conway with a one-term anti-Trump pitch, and Schlossberg with Kennedy name recognition and social-media reach.
Israel and AI have exposed some of the few sharper divides: Schlossberg alone says he would oppose offensive weapons for Israel, while Bores faces more than $7 million in super PAC attacks tied to rival Silicon Valley factions.
The contest reflects a broader Democratic identity struggle in Manhattan, where ideology often blurs and candidates are competing as much on style, electability and anti-Trump energy as on policy.