HARRISBURG — Jay Paterno, the son of late Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, told party officials Thursday he will seek the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor.

Roger Lund, chairman of the south-central Democratic Party caucus, and Gerald Lawrence, chairman of the southeast party caucus, said Paterno called them and told them he is circulating petitions to get on the May 20 primary ballot.

Paterno did not immediately return a call or e-mail seeking comment after a campaign website went live Thursday. The website made it plain he would run for lieutenant governor, but it stopped working by Thursday afternoon.

Paterno has long been active in Democratic Party politics, campaigning for President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. Party officials had expected he might run for Congress in north-central Pennsylvania, but Lund said Paterno told him he believed he could serve Pennsylvania better by staying in the state.

The Democratic field in the lieutenant governor race is big, with six declared candidates, but none has Paterno’s name recognition.