Former staffer set to succeed Nadler after House primary win

Campaign Former staffer set to succeed Nadler after House primary win Comments: by Caroline Vakil - 06/23/26 9:59 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Caroline Vakil - 06/23/26 9:59 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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New York State Assemblymember Micah Lasher (D) is projected to win the Democratic primary for the Manhattan-based House seat currently held by his former boss, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), beating a crowded field of contenders, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Lasher, who once served as an aide to Nadler and held top positions under Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (D), defeated seven other Democrats in a race that quickly morphed into a proxy battle over artificial intelligence (AI) regulation and safety.

Nadler and Hochul endorsed Lasher in the race.

Lasher’s most serious contender was fellow New York State Assembly member Alex Bores (D), who made a name for himself over AI regulation and safety legislation signed into law by Hochul. Groups on both sides of the tech regulatory issue have spent money to either take him down and support his candidacy.

Several groups advocating for stricter AI regulations spent more than $20 million to back Bores’ candidacy, while another AI heavyweight group, Leading the Future, poured over $8 million against him as a broader debate over whether to have states regulate the industry individually or create a national framework plays out.

Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of former President Kennedy, and George Conway — a vocal critic of President Trump — also ran for the reliably Democratic seat.

An Emerson College Polling/PIX 11 survey released last month suggested a tight race, with Lasher at 22 percent, Bores at 20 percent, Schlossberg at 11 percent and Conway at 10 percent, with all other candidates under 5 percent. A separate 32 percent said they were undecided.

Given the district’s deep blue leanings, Lasher is likely to win the general election for New York’s 12th Congressional District in November.