Jay Jacobs

Nassau Democratic Party Chairman

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 nearly two decades. 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 won 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 — kingmaker. Besides operating three sleepaway 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 with Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and Nassau Comptroller Jack Schnirman winning those seats back from the Republicans in November. Had he not won, odds are Jacobs would have been out of a job — something he says people called for after Democrats lost the county’s legislative majority and county executive seat years ago. But now that he’s back on top, he’s shown the power of sticktoitiveness.