36. Jay Jacobs

Holding one political position for a long period of time is no walk in the park, yet Jay Jacobs has managed to carry the torch for Nassau Democrats successfully for a dozen years. Jacobs took over in 2001 and his party eventually rolled to victories in races for county executive, comptroller and district attorney. Under his leadership, Democrats held the majority in the county legislature for his first six years as chairman. Though no longer the chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee, Jacobs is still a very busy—and very powerful—man. Besides operating three sleep-away camps and founding Project Heal the Children, a program providing free summer camps for 9/11 victims’ children, life for the chairman will get even more eventful this year as former Democratic Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi and ex-Comptroller Howard Weitzman attempt to regain seats they lost in 2009.