Rebecca C. Lewis reports for City and State that state Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs, appointed by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, endorsed Gov. Kathy Hochul Oct. 4 in her campaign to retain the seat next year. Jacobs also called Cuomo, a onetime close ally, before the endorsement was made public to give him a heads up. Jacobs said he made the endorsement in a personal capacity, rather than in his role leading the state party. Jacobs had been discouraging other potential candidates from challenging Hochul, according to the report. “I believe a party torn apart by multiple candidates in multiple primaries for multiple offices will exhaust precious resources, divide us and make us weaker in a year we have to be the strongest,” Jacobs said recently at the Nassau County Democratic Committee headquarters. New York Attorney General Letitia James is said to be considering a run for governor. So Jacobs also endorsed her, but to keep her job, not to take Hochul's. “I respect her tremendously and I understand her position,” Jacobs said. “I think she’s got to use her own judgment and then see if this is right for her.” Jacobs also described Hochul as both a “pragmatic progressive,” and a moderate with “a message that will resonate with an overwhelming majority of New Yorkers.” That comment caused State Republican Party Chair Nick Langworthy to ask, “What the hell is a progressive moderate?” Read more about this story at City and State.