Senate Democrats Reconcile, GOP Maintains Slim Majority Control

April 6th, 2018

In a bombshell announcement on Wednesday the State Senate’s 7-year long feud between the “mainline” Senate Democratic Conference and the rogue Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) has ended (at least for now) as the warring factions announced their reunification at the apparent direct intercession of Governor Cuomo.

The arrangement would keep Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins as Democratic Conference Leader and install Senator Jeff Klein, former leader of the IDC, as her deputy. Senate Democrats now claim 31 members in their conference, of the 63-member Senate.

Current Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan and his 30 fellow Republicans retain control of the chamber because Senator Simcha Felder, a Democrat from Brooklyn, continues to caucus with the Republicans, giving Flanagan the magic number of 32 to remain Leader.

The IDC and the Senate GOP have worked together for the past 7 years under various power-sharing agreements.

Members of the former-IDC were stripped on Friday of powerful and lucrative committee chairmanships they had enjoyed while partnering with Republicans.

Outcomes in key special elections to be held April 24th could throw the chamber in further tumult and determine the balance of power, at least in the immediate term.

This situation is expected to remain fluid.