Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of President John F. Kennedy, has returned to the campaign trail for New York's 12th congressional district, marking his poignant comeback with a rally alongside striking nurses just weeks after the death of his sister, Tatiana.
A Campaign Paused by Personal Tragedy
Schlossberg announced his bid for Congress in November, a mere eleven days before his older sister, Tatiana, disclosed her terminal acute myeloid leukemia diagnosis in a heartfelt letter published by the New Yorker. Tatiana passed away on December 30, and her funeral was held at New York City's Church of St. Ignatius Loyola on January 5.
In her final written reflections, Tatiana paid profound tribute to the medical staff who cared for her, writing, 'I have never encountered a group of people who are more competent, more full of grace and empathy, more willing to serve others than nurses.' She concluded with a powerful statement: 'Nurses should take over.'
Honouring a Sister's Legacy with Action
In a moving alignment with his sister's sentiments, the 32-year-old candidate attended a rally with the New York State Nurses Association on Monday. This followed a major strike where 15,000 nurses walked out of the city's top hospitals, demanding better wages, mandated staff-to-patient ratios, improved benefits, and enhanced security.
'Nurses should rule the world. Nothing is more important than supporting our nurses,' Schlossberg told the crowd, directly echoing Tatiana's words. He later expanded on this in an Instagram post, writing, 'Nurses deserve more than our thanks — they deserve a fair contract, safe working conditions and healthcare benefits.'
Pledging a Pro-Union, Pro-Worker Platform
The candidate, who had paused his vigorous door-to-door campaigning and social media outreach following his sister's death, used the rally to solidify his political stance. 'Unions are the backbone of the Democratic Party,' Schlossberg stated. 'I’ll never forget that. I’m running for Congress to make sure nurses and working people across our city and our country get a fair shot.'
His return to public campaigning was signalled on the day of Tatiana's funeral, when he shared a series of childhood photographs alongside a poignant quote from his sister about the obligation to build a better future. Schlossberg is now back on the streets of New York, seeking to meet voters face-to-face ahead of the June primaries, where he aims to replace the retiring Congressman Jerrold Nadler.
When he launched his campaign, Schlossberg framed his run as a response to a national 'crisis at every level,' criticising a 'dangerous man' in control of government who is 'stripping citizens of their civil rights.' He vows to execute on behalf of New Yorkers, asserting that 'politics should be personal'—a principle now deeply underscored by his recent personal loss and his public tribute to his sister's legacy through advocacy.
