NY Dem Party boss deicides to stand against Zohran Mamdani

New York Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs on Friday cast his controversial decision to oppose lefty mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani as a stand for the party’s dispossessed moderates. The powerful state party leader — who bucked Gov. Kathy Hochul after she endorsed the socialist frontrunner — told The Post he wanted to send the message that firebrand progressives such as Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez don’t speak for all Democrats. “We’re a big tent party. We’re not the Republican Party,” he said in an interview. “The party is not just a progressive party. We’re a progressive, moderate party.” STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST NEWS BY SUBSCRIBING TO MORNING REPORT NEWSLETTER Jacobs’ shocking statement Thursday refusing to back the Queens assemblyman’s mayoral candidacy in New York City sent shockwaves across the Dems, widening the rift between moderate and left-wing members of the party. But for all the public outrage, Jacobs — who also serves as the Dems’ chair in Nassau County — said he has been deluged with kudos since. “I’m getting a very positive response from moderate Democrats,” he told The Post, while declining to name names. “It’s been overwhelmingly positive.” The flood of supportive texts, emails and calls came as progressives demanded the party chair resign for standing against Mamdani, who received a historic number of votes in the Democratic primary. Hochul had blindsided Jacobs this week by endorsing Mamdani – a move that sources said infuriated the party boss and led him to consider stepping down. Jacobs insisted Friday he wasn’t resigning, at least for now, despite calls for his ouster from some politicos. A statement from Hochul’s campaign Thursday said the governor had not discussed Jacobs’ tenure since he publicly refused to endorse Mamdani. “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 statement read. Jacobs said he ran his non-endorsement past Hochul. But while declining to discuss his personal conversations with the governor, he did seem to indicate that she didn’t object. “I am not reckless and I am not disrespectful,” he said. Hochul’s reps didn’t respond to a request for comment Friday. Likewise, Jacobs said he also tried to connect with Mamdani, but his call went to voicemail. Besides ideological differences, Jacobs said he had personal reasons for not endorsing Mamdani, a vocal critic of Israel. “My mom left Nazi Germany in 1939,” he said, noting that unfortunately many of his relatives were killed in the Holocaust. “I also thought it was important to stand up for Israel.” HON BRIAN SCAVO