Despite Hochul's Endorsement of Mamdani, NY Democratic Party Chair Refused to Bend the Knee

Jay Jacobs, chairman of the New York Democratic Party, refused to back Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral bid in a statement on Thursday, saying that while the fearmongering over the democratic socialist’s rise is a “gross over-reaction,” their differences are too great to overcome to endorse him.

“Having had a positive conversation with Mr. Mamdani right after the Primary, I can say that I believe that all of the fear mongering around him and his candidacy is wrong and a gross over-reaction,” he said in a statement.

Jacobs noted the two agree that growing income disparity in the U.S. is one of the nation’s greatest problems, but they “fundamentally disagree” on how to address it.

The powerful Democratic party chair, who is Jewish, also called out Mamdani’s views on Israel and said he strongly disagreed with some of his “key policy positions.”

“Furthermore,” he continued, “I reject the platform of the so-called ‘Democratic Socialists of America’ and do not believe that it represents the principles, values or policies of the Democratic Party.”

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Jay Jacobs, the chairman of the NY Democratic Party, is publicly breaking with Gov Kathy Hochul over the NYC mayor's race.

Jacobs says he will not endorse Mamdani, saying he "strongly" disagrees with his views on Israel/opposes the DSA platform. He also defends Mamdani a little pic.twitter.com/QOV3qPFJgY

— Nicholas Fandos (@npfandos) September 18, 2025

His statement, which came just days after Gov. Kathy Hochul endorsed Mamdani, further highlighted the growing divide within the Democratic Party over the democratic socialist. 

The split between Hochul and Jacobs signifies a growing rift between moderate and left-wing Empire State Democrats. 

State Sen. Mike Gianaris, the No. 2 Democrat in the upper chamber of the Legislature, called Jacobs’ “disgraceful.”

“The Chair of the Democratic Party refusing to support the candidate clearly selected by the voters of the Democratic Party,” Gianaris posted on X. “If he won’t perform that most basic responsibility of a party leader, what exactly is he doing over there?”

A Dem party official seethed: “Jay publicly hates democratic socialists and it seems wildly out of touch to even consider staying on as chair given the circumstances.”

Jacobs was elected Democratic Party chair in 2019, under then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, after serving in the position roughly a decade earlier.

After Cuomo resigned in 2021, his successor Hochul stuck by Jacobs, who’s widely seen as the voice of moderate suburban Democrats.

But progressive and Democratic Socialists of America-aligned pols have been unhappy with the moderate Jacobs, blaming him for Dems’ poor 2022 midterm elections showing and calling for Hochul to oust him. (New York Post)

It remains to be seen what happens between Hochul and Jacobs, with a campaign spokesperson for the Democratic governor telling the Post the two haven't discussed his tenure since his statement. "As the leader of the party, the governor is holding ongoing discussions about who the best person is to serve as chair moving forward," the spokesperson said.