George Conway, a former Republican and co-founder of The Lincoln Project, filed to run as a Democrat in New York’s 12th Congressional District on Monday. The Manhattan seat is open after Rep. Jerrold Nadler announced he will not seek re-election in 2026, making the Democratic primary the likely decisive contest. Conway, known for his vocal opposition to Donald Trump and once considered for roles in Trump’s administration, joins a crowded field that includes Jack Schlossberg, Cameron Kasky, Alex Bores, Micah Lasher and Erik Bottcher. The campaign will test whether his anti-Trump credentials and cross-party background resonate with Democratic primary voters.
George Conway Enters Democratic Primary For Manhattan’s Safe NY-12 Seat, Joining Crowded Field
George Conway, a former Republican turned prominent critic of Donald Trump, filed paperwork on Monday to run for Congress in New York’s 12th Congressional District as a Democrat.
Campaign Context
The Manhattan-based seat is currently held by veteran Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), who announced in September that he will not seek re-election in 2026. Because NY-12 is reliably Democratic, the primary is expected to be the decisive contest rather than the general election.
Background
Conway is a co-founder of The Lincoln Project and became widely known as a conservative opponent of Donald Trump, frequently criticizing what he characterized as constitutional and ethical breaches and broader democratic backsliding. Though he was once considered for positions in Trump’s first-term administration, he declined to join and instead emerged as one of Trump’s most vocal critics.
Conway was married for 22 years to Kellyanne Conway, Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign manager and a one-term White House counselor. The couple, who share four children, divorced in 2023.
The Field And What’s At Stake
Conway enters a crowded Democratic primary that already includes Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of President John F. Kennedy; Cameron Kasky, a March For Our Lives organizer; New York State Assembly members Alex Bores and Micah Lasher; and City Council member Erik Bottcher. With Rep. Nadler’s departure, the open NY-12 seat has attracted high-profile contenders, setting up a competitive primary to replace a long-serving incumbent.
What’s next: Conway will need to persuade Democratic primary voters in a heavily liberal district that his anti-Trump record and background can translate into support from a Democratic electorate. Expect the primary to focus on progressive policy credentials, name recognition and grassroots organizing.
According to The New York Post, Conway filed paperwork on Monday to launch his campaign; his entry adds a notable name to a growing list of contenders for the open Manhattan seat.
