A tale of two chairmen: Jacobs and Mondello

On Oct. 1, 2009, Jay Jacobs, the Nassau Democratic chairman, took on a second political role, as leader of his party's New York State organization.

Two days earlier, Joe Mondello, the Nassau Republican chairman, left his second role - as leader of his party's New York State organization.

On life's great seesaw, the two seem cosmically paired. One leaves the state scene as the other arrives. One celebrates wins as the other reviews losses. Call them Yin Mondello and Yang Jacobs.

Mondello took over the state Republican committee at the tail end of the Pataki administration, in late 2006. The state GOP, shut out of every statewide office, looked as if it had reached a low point, but it hadn't. The state party still had some sinking to do.

In early 2007, Craig Johnson won a special election to become the county's first Democratic state senator since the 1980s. It proved a key loss for the GOP. In November 2008, the Republicans lost the Senate majority - their last domain of statewide power.

Under fire, Mondello was replaced by nemesis Ed Cox as state chairman. Mondello left behind a party that had only two of 29 seats in the congressional delegation; that number comes back up to a more customary eight of 29 with last week's election.

But in the 2009 election, held weeks after Cox's ascent, Mondello's luck returned in his home county - and Jacobs' ran out as he moved into his own state chairmanship. Republicans won as county executive and comptroller, and captured a majority in the legislature.

Tom Suozzi, long Jacobs' biggest ally in the business, was suddenly gone as county executive. The governor who made Jacobs state chairman, David A. Paterson, was himself spiraling toward what would have been a divisive primary against Andrew Cuomo, the attorney general.

But in the next few months, Paterson stepped aside and Cuomo became governor apparent. And with little notice or fanfare, in September, Jacobs was elected to a two-year term as chairman.

Still, Jacobs would see further trouble back home. Last week, Johnson's seat seemed to be headed back to the Republicans - and perhaps the Senate along with it. The surrogate judge seat returned to Republican hands. GOP Senate incumbents held strong.

Jacobs, the state chairman, saw his party retain both U.S. Senate seats, the governor's office, and the comptroller and attorney general's offices.

But Jacobs, the county chairman, saw Republican Harry Wilson beat native-son Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli in Nassau, while Republican Dan Donovan finished ahead of AG-elect Eric Schneiderman in the countywide vote.

Mondello was unavailable for comment Thursday. But a friend of his said, "Obviously, being close to home helps." And, Mondello has insisted all along that these things are cyclical.

Jacobs heatedly challenged grumbling from some that his state role kept him from focusing on Nassau.

For one thing, results were mixed - "no worse than you see in other counties," he said.

"What I was supposed to do this election, countywide, was ensure our candidates got the support they needed. And they did - in terms of troops, and the best door-knocking and phone call system in years," Jacobs said. It helped Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola) prevail, he said.

Jacobs acknowledges his future in the state party will rest largely with Cuomo. But he says, "On a county level, I'm staying in that job, which I love, and I'm looking forward to the battles coming up."