2:17Attorney George Conway outside the New York City courthouse, April 30, 2024. Ted Shaffrey/AP, FILE
George Conway, an attorney and notable critic of President Donald Trump, who was once married to Trump’s advisor Kellyanne Conway, announced his candidacy on Tuesday for the congressional position in New York City being vacated by retiring Democratic U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler.
This campaign launch occurs five years following the assault on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 — and a video introducing his campaign begins with footage of rioters storming the Capitol that day, although Conway does not directly reference the incident or the date in the video.
"The stakes have never been greater. What is at risk is the preservation of our democracy, the upholding of the rule of law, the maintenance of constitutional governance… we require a Democratic Congress and a majority within that Democratic Congress that is intensely focused on the dangers to the rule of law," Conway stated to ABC News in an interview prior to his campaign launch.
Attorney George Conway outside the New York City courthouse, April 30, 2024.Ted Shaffrey/AP, FILE
Conway had an extensive career as a conservative lawyer before he began to vocally criticize Trump and the GOP. He represented Paula Jones, who accused President Bill Clinton of misconduct; the case was ultimately resolved with no admission of wrongdoing. Clinton has denied the claims. Conway has drawn parallels between his support for Jones and his assistance to author E. Jean Carroll, who filed a defamation lawsuit against Trump.
Conway broke ranks with other conservatives when he began to openly criticize Trump during his initial term, gaining an online following as he condemned the president.
Conway also co-founded the Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump political action committee that has financed advertisements and initiatives opposing the president throughout both of his terms.
He may encounter questions regarding his connections to Nadler’s district, given that he has spent over ten years away from New York City.
He relocated to New York in 1998 and worked at a Manhattan-based law firm until 2019; however, he and his family moved to the New York City suburb of Alpine, New Jersey, in 2008 and then to Washington, D.C., in 2017 when Kellyanne Conway joined the administration.
President-elect Donald Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway accompanied by her husband, George, speaks with members of the media as they arrive for a dinner at Union Station, Jan. 19, 2017, in Washington, D.C.Matt Rourke/AP
Conway is currently residing once more in the district and is registered to vote in New York.
"I live here. I worked here. I’ve spent my entire career in this district. I have a deep affection for this district. I consistently return to it. My four children were born in this district … and I aspire to contribute to what I have gained from this district, which has essentially been everything significant in my career and life," he conveyed to ABC News.
Conway and his family have also attracted attention for their political differences concerning Trump.
President Donald Trump listens as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at Mar-a-Lago club, Jan. 3, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla.Alex Brandon/AP
His former wife Kellyanne Conway served as Trump's campaign manager during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign
Sourse: abcnews.go.com