Jake Auchincloss

Jake Auchincloss
Born	Jacob Daniel Auchincloss 29 01, 1988
Birthplace	Newton, Massachusetts, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, businessman, Marine Corps officer
Known for	U.S. Representative for Massachusetts's 4th congressional district
Education	Harvard University (BA) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MBA)
Children	3
Website	[Official congressional website Official site]

Jacob Daniel Auchincloss (born January 29, 1988) is an American politician, businessman, and United States Marine Corps officer serving as the U.S. representative for Massachusetts's 4th congressional district since January 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Auchincloss succeeded Joe Kennedy III in the seat after winning a competitive primary election in September 2020. Born in Newton, Massachusetts, into a prominent New England family with deep ties to American political and academic life, Auchincloss graduated from Harvard University in 2010 and commissioned as a Marine Corps officer, serving deployments in Afghanistan and Panama. He returned to Massachusetts to enter local politics, winning a seat on the Newton City Council in 2015, where he served three terms before his election to Congress. In Congress, Auchincloss has positioned himself as a centrist Democrat, focusing on issues including healthcare affordability, technology policy, national security, and U.S.–Israel relations. He holds the rank of major in the Marine Corps Reserve.

Early Life

Jacob Daniel Auchincloss was born on January 29, 1988, in Newton, Massachusetts. He is a member of the Auchincloss family, a prominent American family with roots in New England's political, academic, and social establishment. His grandfather was Melvin J. Glimcher, and his great-grandfather was Harvey Hollister Bundy, a government official who served under Henry L. Stimson. His grand-uncle was McGeorge Bundy, the National Security Advisor under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

Auchincloss grew up in Newton, a suburban city west of Boston in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Newton is one of the more affluent communities in the greater Boston area and has a long history of civic engagement and political activity. The city falls within Massachusetts's 4th congressional district, the same seat Auchincloss would later represent in Congress.

Details about his childhood and upbringing beyond his family background and Newton roots are limited in publicly available sourced material. His family's connections to both government service and academia appear to have influenced his later career trajectory, which combined military service, graduate education at elite institutions, and entry into public office at a relatively young age.

Education

Auchincloss attended Harvard University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2010. Upon graduation, he commissioned as an officer in the United States Marine Corps.

After completing his military deployments and returning to Massachusetts, Auchincloss pursued graduate education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from MIT while simultaneously serving on the Newton City Council. During his time at MIT, Auchincloss participated in the university's entrepreneurship ecosystem; he was part of a winning team in the MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition.

Career

Military Service

After graduating from Harvard in 2010, Auchincloss commissioned into the United States Marine Corps as an officer. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 as part of the U.S. military effort in the War in Afghanistan. He subsequently deployed to Panama in 2014.

His military service became a central element of his political identity in subsequent campaigns. Auchincloss continues to serve in the Marine Corps Reserve, where he holds the rank of major.

Political Party Affiliation

Auchincloss's political party registration underwent several changes during and after his military service. He was registered as a Democrat before 2013, then registered as a Republican from 2013 to 2014, and subsequently registered as an independent from 2014 to 2015, before re-registering as a Democrat in 2015. His prior Republican registration became a point of discussion during the 2020 Democratic primary race, with opponents and commentators raising questions about the sincerity of his Democratic affiliation. Auchincloss has attributed the registration changes to the period during which he was serving in the military and stationed outside Massachusetts.

Newton City Council

In 2015, Auchincloss ran for a seat on the Newton City Council representing Ward 2. He won the election and began serving on the council.

During his tenure on the council, Auchincloss was involved in a range of municipal issues. The Newton City Council voted on measures including council salary adjustments during this period. He endorsed Ruth Ann Fuller's mayoral candidacy, indicating his involvement in broader Newton political dynamics.

Auchincloss was re-elected to the Newton City Council in 2017 and again in 2019, serving a total of three terms. He continued to serve on the council until his election to Congress in November 2020 and his assumption of office in January 2021.

2020 Congressional Campaign

In 2019, Auchincloss announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in Massachusetts's 4th congressional district, following the decision by incumbent Joe Kennedy III to vacate the seat in order to run for the U.S. Senate.

The 2020 Democratic primary in the 4th district was a crowded and competitive race. Auchincloss and Alan Khazei were among the top fundraisers early in the campaign. Auchincloss continued to lead the field in fundraising as the race progressed.

During the campaign, Auchincloss built support across the district, which stretches from the Boston suburbs to the South Coast communities including Fall River. He and fellow candidate Jesse Mermell (among others) competed for endorsements from labor unions and local political figures in the Fall River area and beyond. Auchincloss received his first union endorsement during the race, a notable development given the competitive nature of the primary field.

The campaign was also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Candidates in the race faced difficulties collecting the required number of signatures to qualify for the ballot as social distancing measures limited in-person signature gathering.

Auchincloss's prior registration as a Republican became a topic of scrutiny during the primary. The Boston Globe reported in June 2020 that he had been registered as a Republican in 2014, which drew attention from rival campaigns in the Democratic primary.

The September 1, 2020, Democratic primary was decided by a narrow margin. Auchincloss won the nomination in a close multi-candidate race. In the heavily Democratic district, the primary victory was tantamount to election, and Auchincloss won the general election in November 2020 at the age of 32.

U.S. House of Representatives

Auchincloss took office on January 3, 2021, succeeding Joe Kennedy III as the representative for Massachusetts's 4th congressional district.

Legislative Priorities

In Congress, Auchincloss has focused on several policy areas. He has been active on healthcare legislation, introducing the ACA Copay Cost and Affordability for Patients (CAP) Act in November 2025. The legislation was designed to address copay costs and affordability under the Affordable Care Act.

Auchincloss has also been involved in foreign policy, particularly concerning U.S.–Israel relations. In September 2025, he led a group of Democratic members of Congress in writing a letter urging regional cooperation to address the conflict involving Hamas. The letter was co-signed by Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Greg Landsman, and others.

In September 2025, Auchincloss released a statement regarding House Resolution 719, demonstrating his engagement with procedural and legislative matters in the House.

Political Positioning

Auchincloss has been characterized as a centrist within the Democratic Party. A January 2026 opinion column in The Washington Post described him as a Democrat who does not conform to progressive orthodoxy, noting what the columnist characterized as "an exemplary way of talking about topics that resonate with centrist voters." His positioning has distinguished him from some of his Massachusetts Democratic colleagues who occupy more progressive positions within the party caucus.

In February 2026, Auchincloss announced that Amanda Blount would be his guest at President Donald Trump's State of the Union address.

Public Engagement and Policy Discussions

Auchincloss has participated in public discussions on topics beyond his immediate legislative work. In early 2026, he appeared at the Harvard Kennedy School alongside Utah Governor Spencer Cox for a discussion on social media, artificial intelligence, partisan division, and the state of community in America. The event, framed around themes from Robert D. Putnam's Bowling Alone, addressed what the organizers described as an "atomized" America.

In a February 2026 interview with Brookline.News, Auchincloss discussed a range of topics including ICE, the upcoming midterm elections, and offshore wind energy projects.

Personal Life

Auchincloss was born and raised in Newton, Massachusetts, the city he later represented on the city council. He is a member of the Auchincloss family, a socially prominent New England family. His relatives include his grandfather Melvin J. Glimcher, his great-grandfather Harvey Hollister Bundy, and his grand-uncle McGeorge Bundy, who served as National Security Advisor to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.

Auchincloss has three children.

He continues to serve in the Marine Corps Reserve with the rank of major.

Recognition

Auchincloss's centrist approach within the Democratic Party has attracted attention from national media. The Washington Post published an opinion column in January 2026 highlighting his rhetorical style and political positioning, describing him as a Democrat whose messaging differs from the prevailing progressive tone of many in the party. The column noted his approach to discussing issues in ways intended to appeal to centrist voters.

His appearance alongside Governor Spencer Cox at the Harvard Kennedy School in 2026, discussing social fragmentation and the effects of technology on American civic life, further demonstrated his engagement with policy discussions beyond the congressional floor.

As a Marine Corps veteran who served in Afghanistan, Auchincloss is among a cohort of post-9/11 military veterans serving in the U.S. Congress. His military background has been a prominent feature of his public profile and political campaigns.