George Conway Enters Congress Race: A Trump Critic’s Political Gambit in New York

In a move that crystallizes the enduring political schism of the Trump era, conservative lawyer and pundit George Conway has launched a Democratic bid for Congress. Announcing his candidacy on the fifth anniversary of the January 6 Capitol riot, Conway is vying for New York’s 12th Congressional District, a safe Democratic seat being vacated by the retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler. His campaign, framed as a singular mission to counter “Trumpism,” throws a former Republican insider into a crowded primary against lifelong Democrats, including a Kennedy scion.

Conway, 62, is no ordinary candidate. Once a Trump supporter and the ex-husband of former Trump senior counselor Kellyanne Conway, he evolved into one of the president’s most prominent and persistent critics, co-founding the anti-Trump Lincoln Project. His entry into the race signals a continued battle over the soul of the Republican Party and the Democratic strategy to confront it, all playing out in a Manhattan district.

The Conway Candidacy: Key Details at a Glance

To understand the stakes, here are the essential facts of George Conway’s congressional run.

From GOP Insider to Anti-Trump Standard-Bearer

George Conway’s political journey is a defining narrative of the past decade. A successful commercial litigation attorney, he was initially supportive of Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, during which his then-wife, Kellyanne Conway, served as campaign manager. However, he became publicly disillusioned, using his legal expertise to pen scathing op-eds and make frequent cable news appearances critiquing the president’s conduct and adherence to the rule of law.

This evolution culminated in 2019 with the co-founding of The Lincoln Project, a political action committee led by “Never Trump” Republicans that spent millions on ads attacking the president. Conway has also put his money where his mouth is, having donated over $900,000 to a joint fundraising committee for President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party in 2024.

“I’ve been doing it, and frankly, I’ve come to the conclusion that writing op-eds and going on TV is not enough,” Conway stated, explaining his decision to run for office.

The Crowded Democratic Primary Field

Conway enters a competitive and historically significant Democratic primary. The 12th District, covering parts of Manhattan including the Upper West Side, Hell’s Kitchen, and Chelsea, is a Democratic stronghold. The race to succeed the long-serving Nadler has attracted several high-profile candidates, setting the stage for a clash of political pedigrees and ideologies.

Conway’s Republican past is already a point of contention. Rival candidate Jami Floyd released a statement noting, “George Conway is a life-long conservative Republican and not even from here,” highlighting a central challenge for his campaign: convincing Democratic primary voters of his bona fides.

The “Fight Trumpism” Platform

Conway is framing his campaign in stark, national terms. He has called Donald Trump “the greatest threat to the Constitution and the rule of law and democratic government that we have ever seen in our lifetime.” His stated goals are unambiguous:

1. Impeach President Trump: He has explicitly stated he wants to vote for Trump’s impeachment if elected.
2. Modern Legal Reconstruction: He advocates for systemic legal reforms to prevent a repeat of the challenges to democratic norms seen during the Trump presidency.
3. Occupying a Safe Seat: Conway argues he is best positioned to hold this Democratic seat long-term as someone proven capable of debating and confronting Trump directly.

By launching on the January 6 anniversary, Conway directly tied his candidacy to the aftermath of the 2021 Capitol riot, emphasizing his view that the threat to democracy is ongoing and requires direct political action to counter.

What Conway’s Run Means for Canadian Observers

For a Canadian audience, this race is more than a New York political curiosity. It is a case study in the volatile realignment of U.S. politics, where traditional party lines are blurred by the dominant figure of Donald Trump. Conway’s attempt to leverage his profile as a critic into electoral success tests whether anti-Trump sentiment can be a primary platform for a Democratic candidate, even one with a recent Republican history. The outcome will signal the political potency of “Never Trump” conservatism within the Democratic coalition and offer clues about the ideological battles that will define the U.S. political landscape for years to come—a landscape with direct implications for Canada on trade, security, and foreign policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What district is George Conway running in and who is he trying to replace?
A: George Conway is running as a Democrat in New York’s 12th Congressional District, which covers parts of Manhattan. He is seeking the seat being vacated by the retiring long-time Democratic Representative, Jerry Nadler.

Q: Why is George Conway, a former Republican, running as a Democrat?
A: Conway, who became a prominent critic of Donald Trump, believes opposing “Trumpism” is the most urgent political cause. He concluded that media commentary was insufficient and decided to seek office directly within the Democratic Party, which he views as the primary vehicle to counter Trump’s influence.

Q: Who are his main opponents in the Democratic primary?
A: He faces a crowded field, but his most notable opponents include Joseph P. Kennedy III, the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy and a former Congressman from Massachusetts, and Jami Floyd, a journalist and former Clinton administration official. The primary is expected to be highly competitive.