New York Democratic Committee chair Jay Jacobs said Monday he encouraged his friend state Sen. James Skoufis to enter the race to chair the Democratic National Committee, but will not make an official endorsement until next year.

Skoufis over the weekend announced his bid to be the DNC's next chair before the vote in early February. The lower Hudson Valley lawmaker was first elected to the state Assembly in 2013 and has represented the area in the state Senate, including Middletown and West Point, since 2018.

The senator called Jacobs after last month's election to discuss his desire to run.

"I like James Skoufis — he's a friend of mine, and we've always gotten along very well," Jacobs told Spectrum News 1 on Monday. "I think he's very talented, and if he has a case to make, as I told him: 'Make it. Bring it to the membership and see what they think.'"

Skoufis isn't widely known outside his district or the halls of the state Capitol, but said the results of the November election inspired his run to chair the DNC. 

The senator knows he's the underdog — trailing behind former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party chair Ken Martin already vying for the seat.

While Skoufis is unlikely to win, it would raise the senator's national name recognition if he chooses to seek higher office — such as a congressional run, as U.S. Rep. Michael Lawler eyes a gubernatorial bid, in two years.

Skoufis on Monday would not rule out the idea, but reiterated he does not currently have plans to run for Congress.

"I'm not going to speculate as to what's in my future," the senator told Spectrum News 1. "All I'm very focused on right now and am actively considering and am pushing for is a win in two months."

Skoufis will travel to Arizona this week to meet with members of the Association of State Democratic Committees and make his case to potential voters.

Jacobs backed Skoufis' candidacy, but has not endorsed a candidate to be the next chair. The New York delegation of the DNC will have discussions in the coming weeks.

Jacobs said the DNC needs a moderate leader after losing support with voters of all ages last month.

"You cannot be contentious," he said. "In a sense, you have to be able to reach out to the various factions within the party, the various different viewpoints and bring them in."

And he would not postulate what the run will mean for Skoufis. 

"What this leads to in the future, I can't say. I just focus on this particular race," Jacobs said. "As I said, James is a friend of mine. I like him an awful lot, and I've worked with him. And I look forward to working with him some more."

The next DNC chair faces a tall order to reinvigorate the party and attract donors.

Skoufis lacks the same national recognition or ties to donors with deep pockets as other candidates in the race — putting him at a disadvantage. But the senator maintains he's ready to make inroads with the DNC's 448 members before they vote to elect a new chair in February.

"I think it's fair and objective to say I'm one of the strongest fundraisers in New York state politics," he said. "I know how to have those conversations and absolutey that's a critical component of this job, but what is equally as important, if not more imporant, is how we spend that money that donors send to the DNC."

He added his continued success in a purple Hudson Valley district makes him the right person to lead Democrats to victory.

"I just won a district that Donald Trump won by 12 percentage points; I won by 13-and-a-half points," Skoufis said. "I know how to deliver votes every couple of years in really tough terrain, and that is all that Democrats should be focused on and should care about right now is: How do we get back to winning?"

Former New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney said she wishes Skoufis luck, but is backing former Maryland Gov. O'Malley — who she's known for years — for the seat.

"We have very serious challenges ahead of us," Maloney said Monday. "It's a difficult time for the party. We have to rebuild fast for the midterm elections. I've worked with him and I know his skills, but any candidate from New York is a serious candidate. We are a major force in the Democratic Party ... and anyone running from New York state will be given serious consideration."

Jacobs said Democrats must improve messaging about the economy, immigration and public safety to appeal to independent voters.

He continues to urge party leaders to shift away from extreme views such as a focus on transgender issues or political correctness, including the race or gender of the next DNC chair instead of which candidate will be the most effective leader.

"I don't think we should allow for the name-calling and the negative categorization of people, the canceling of people, who are engaged in this conversation," Jacobs said. "The mistake we make sometimes is focusing on the gender, the race, where somebody is from. ... I think we just have to be a little more focused on leadership generally and expect our leaders to then take us to a place for that more perfect union that we're supposed to be."