Vocal Trump Opponent George Conway Joins Packed New York Congressional Race

Former Republican George Conway is entering New York’s crowded Democratic primary for its Twelfth Congressional District to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler.

Conway is the ex-husband of Kellyanne Conway, former Senior Counselor to President Donald Trump, but George is a vocal critic of the president. The couple got divorced in early 2023.

“We have a demented, criminal president running the country like a mob operation—government by the boss, for the boss,” he posted to X alongside a campaign video featuring footage from Jan. 6, as it’s been five years since the Capitol riot. “We need Democratic fighters who will defend the rule of law and deliver government by the people. Join us.”

The attorney joins a boisterous field, which includes former President John F. Kennedy’s grandson Jack Schlossberg, Parkland activist Cameron Kasky and Assemblyman Alex Bores. The seat is solidly Democratic, but the district’s Manhattan location paired with Nadler’s retirement has given the race a degree of national attention.

Conway was part of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project, but supported its closure amid allegations of sexual harassment of minors against co-founder John Weaver, the New York Post reported in 2021.

“An investigation is necessary. But it has to be thorough, and not a whitewash. And—THE LYING HAS TO STOP. It’s clear now that, as early last *MARCH*, the people who were in operational control of the Lincoln Project…. were told of Weaver’s predations,” Conway posted to Twitter in 2021. “Enough is enough. LP needs to waive the NDAs and come clean.”

He left the group in 2020, saying at the time that he needed to focus on his family, but adding he would continue to “passionately” support the group.

The Independent reported that Conway now rents an apartment in the Chelsea neighborhood, and he did not mince words in an interview with the British publication.

“Everything is at stake — democracy is at stake, the rule of law is at stake, constitutional government is at stake. And it’s no longer good enough for me to sit and lob things in from the spectator seats,” Conway told the outlet.

He previously worked in the city, but recently lived in the Washington, D.C., suburbs, according to the Los Angeles Times.

In October, a photo of George Conway wearing an “I am Antifa” T-shirt at a “No Kings” rally went viral after social media influencer Benny Johnson posted it, to which the now-Democrat replied, “I love how these people think this is some kind of gotcha. Thanks for posting, Benny!!”

Some conservative commentators pointed out that the race could become a race to the bottom for criticism of the Trump administration.

“Ah, the ‘I am Antifa’ shirt suddenly makes a lot more sense if he has to get out of a Democratic primary. This is going to be the most online primary of all time. Cameron Kasky and Jack Schlossberg also running. ‘I hate Trump more!’ ‘No, I do!’ ‘No, me!’” political columnist Karol Markowicz posted to X.

“When ‘Orange Man Bad’ becomes your entire personality,” political consultant Chapin D. Fay posted.

The primary is scheduled for June.