The political dynasties crowding America's next election
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Rep. Adelita Grijalva's (D-Ariz.) swearing-in to her late father's seat Wednesday highlights a defining paradox of the populist era: American politics largely remains a family business.
Why it matters: The 2026 and 2028 ballots are already filling up with political scions. In a polarized, low-trust environment, these campaigns are testing whether voters will seek stability in a familiar, dynastic name.
Catch up quick: Grijalva was sworn into the House of Representatives on Wednesday, weeks after a special election victory to succeed her late father.
- Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) held the Tucson-area seat for more than two decades, from 2003 until this year.
Flashback: Political lineages have shaped U.S. history from the start.
- Two father-son duos have become president: John Adams (1797-1801) and John Quincy Adams (1825-1829), George H.W. Bush (1989-1993) and George W. Bush (2001-2009).
- William Henry Harrison (1841), the son of a Declaration of Independence signer, and his grandson Benjamin Harrison (1889–1893) both served as president.
Zoom out: Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's failed bid for New York City mayor followed the path of his father, the late former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, who lost the 1977 mayoral race.
- Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) is the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, who died this month.
- Former President Bill Clinton is married to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who unsuccessfully ran for president in 2016.
Read more about the modern American political families:
The Kennedys
Jack Schlossberg, former President John F. Kennedy's only grandson, announced Tuesday he'll seek to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) in New York's 12th congressional district.
Zoom out: Generations of Kennedys have worked in government.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr., JFK's nephew, serves as President Trump's health secretary.
- His late father, Robert F. Kennedy, was attorney general and New York senator.
- Ted Kennedy, JFK and RFK's brother, held a U.S. Senate seat representing Massachusetts from 1962 until his death in 2009.
- Joe Kennedy III represented a House district from 2013 until 2021 and later became former President Biden's U.S. special envoy for Northern Ireland.
- Caroline Kennedy, Schlossberg's mother, was ambassador to Australia during the Biden administration and ambassador to Japan during the Obama administration.
The Pelosis
As former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), herself the daughter of a Baltimore mayor, prepares her retirement from Congress in 2027, her daughter Christine Pelosi has launched a 2028 bid for California's state legislature.
The Shaheens
Stefany Shaheen, daughter of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), is running for New Hampshire's 1st District in 2026.
- The elder Shaheen was the first woman in U.S. history to be elected both as a governor and a U.S. senator. She has served in the Senate since 2009.
Between the lines: The two conflicted on Monday when the candidate publicly opposed her mother's move to end the government shutdown.
Maine governor's race
Maine's 2026 race for governor features two Democratic candidates whose parents are lawmakers:
- Hannah Pingree, the former Maine House speaker, is the daughter of Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine).
- Angus King III, a business and and renewable energy leader, is the the son of Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), who also served as governor.
Other campaigns
- Beau Bayh, son of former Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) and grandson of former Sen. Birch Bayh (D-Ind.), launched a bid in October for Indiana's secretary of state.
- South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, the son of Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), is running to be the state's governor.
- Trump ally Rep. Andy Biggs' (R-Ariz.) daughter, Mylie Biggs, is running in 2026 for a state legislative district her father once held.
- Former Alaska state senator Tom Begich is running for governor. His father, Nick Begich Sr., represented the state in the U.S. House, and his mom, Pegge, ran for that seat. Tom's nephew, Nick Begich III, currently serves in the House. Mark Begich, Tom's brother, was the mayor of Anchorage and a U.S. senator.
- Marlene Galán-Woods, the widow of former Arizona Attorney General Grant Woods, is running as a Democrat in the state's first congressional district.
- Jerry Demings, mayor and former sheriff of Orange County, Florida, filed this month to run in Florida's 2026 governor's race. He's married to former Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.).
- Former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Illinois) last month announced a campaign to return to his congressional seat. He resigned in 2012 and was later convicted and imprisoned for stealing campaign funds. His father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, was a civil rights leader and mounted two presidential bids.
- Michael Alfonso, son-in-law of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, is running to represent Wisconsin in the U.S. House seat Duffy held from 2011 to 2019.
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