Jay S. Jacobs

Jay S. Jacobs (born 1955/1956) is an American politician working as the chair of the New York State Democratic Party.

Early life and education Jacobs was raised in Forest Hills, Queens. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and political science from the State University of New York at Oneonta and a Juris Doctor from the School of Law at Northwestern University.

Career

Jacobs became the chair of the Nassau County Democratic Party in 2001. Outside of politics, Jacobs is the CEO of the TLC Family of Camps & Inns, which operates summer camps and inns in New York and Pennsylvania.

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 in which 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 condemned the remarks but did not call for Jacobs's resignation.

In the 2022 midterm elections, New York Democrats lost four congressional seats to Republicans. 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 had spent money on an absentee ballot program. Jacobs was supported by Kathy Hochul and the chairs of over 40 county parties.

In the 2025 New York City mayoral election, Jacobs broke with the governor and refused to endorse or support Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee and eventual winner.