Jay S. Jacobs

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Jay S. Jacobs is the Chair of the New York State Democratic Party. [1]

Contents

Political career

Jacobs was chair of the Nassau County Democratic Party from 2001. [2]

Jacobs served as Chairman of the New York State Democratic Party from 2009 to 2012. He was appointed by David Paterson. [3]

Second tenure as New York State Democratic Party chairman

In 2019, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed Jacobs to his second tenure as Chairman of the New York State Democratic Party.

In 2021, Jacobs declined to endorse India Walton for Mayor of Buffalo. In an interview with Spectrum News, he compared Walton's primary win to a hypothetical situation where Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke won the primary, arguing that the state party is not bound to endorse the Democratic primary winner. Congressman Jamaal Bowman called on Jacobs to resign, saying "It's insane to equate India Walton, a Black woman, with David Duke, someone who supports the legacy of lynching Black people and the rape of Black women." Jacobs apologized for the remarks. New York Governor Kathy Hochul agreed that the remarks were wrong, and did not call for Jacobs's resignation. [4] [5]

In the 2022 midterm elections, New York Democrats lost four Congressional seats to Republicans. [2] Some Democrats including Brad Lander, Chi Ossé and Alessandra Biaggi called on Jacobs to resign, alleging that the state party lacked strategy and insufficiently invested in a get-out-the-vote effort. Jacobs countered that he was attacked for his moderate political views and that the party did spend money on an absentee ballot program. Jacobs was supported by Kathy Hochul and the chairs of over 40 county parties. [2]

In the 2025 New York City mayoral election, Jacobs broke with the governor, and refused to endorse or support Zohran Mamdani, who was the Democratic nominee. [6]

References

  1. ↑ Fandos, Nicholas; Oreskes, Benjamin (September 18, 2025). "New York Democratic Chairman Won't Endorse Mamdani for Mayor". The New York Times . Archived from the original on November 4, 2025. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Prater, Nia (December 12, 2022). "Jay Jacobs Has Few Regrets and No Apologies". Intelligencer. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  3. ↑ Kaplan, Thomas (May 12, 2012). "Democrats' Chairman Quits, and Cuomo Will Choose a Successor". The New York Times .
  4. ↑ "NYS Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs Apologizes For Comments About Buffalo Mayoral Primary Winner India Walton". CBS New York. October 19, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  5. ↑ Barnes, Adam (October 19, 2021). "Leader doubles down — then apologizes — for comparing Black candidate to former KKK leader". The Hill. Archived from the original on August 1, 2025. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  6. ↑ Oreskes, Benjamin (September 16, 2025). "Carl Heastie, Another Democratic Holdout, Is Expected to Endorse Mamdani". The New York Times . Retrieved September 16, 2025.
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