Genre: Information/Explanation

Democrats lost control of the State Senate in the November 2010 elections , and removed Klein from his role as their chief election strategist . In 2011 , Klein resigned as the Democrats' deputy leader and formed the IDC with Valesky , Carlucci , and Savino . Though Democrats won the majority of seats in the November 2012 election , the IDC continued to caucus with the Republicans , denying Democrats the majority of the chamber . Republicans gained outright control of the State Senate in the November 2014 elections , and the IDC remained with the Republican caucus in a diminished role . Democrats gained the majority of seats in the November 2016 elections , but the IDC again agreed to work with Republicans . Brooklyn Senator Simcha Felder conferences with the GOP and cast his vote for a GOP leader , giving Republicans the majority and outright control of the chamber . Following the leadership crisis , Republicans won control of the chamber in the November 2010 elections . In the fallout of the 2010 elections , Democrats replaced Klein as their chief strategist in December 2010 . Klein stepped down as deputy minority leader in January 2011 , citing disagreements with John L. Sampson , the Minority Leader of the State Senate . A few days after resigning as deputy minority leader , Klein formed a group of four Democratic Senators , also including Diane Savino , David J. Valesky , and David Carlucci , announced that they would form their own caucus within the State Senate called the " Independent Democratic Conference " , because they no longer approved of the Sampson's leadership . Sampson offered the IDC members minor roles on committees , and Klein reached out to Dean Skelos , the Republican leader . Skelos agreed to give the four members chairmanships of standing committees . Democratic Senators , including Ruth Hassell-Thompson , criticized Klein for leaving the campaign committee in debt and following his own personal ambitions . In the November 2012 elections , Democrats won the majority of seats in the State Senate . However , a week after the election , Simcha Felder , a newly elected Democrat , announced his intentions to caucus with the Republican Party . In December , the IDC recruited Malcolm Smith and agreed to caucus with the Republicans instead of the Democrats , giving Republicans control . Klein struck a deal with Skelos to alternate who would preside over the chamber every two weeks . Tony Avella joined the IDC in February 2014 . Liberal activists working with the Democratic Party and the Working Families Party targeted Klein and Avella during the Democratic primary elections in September 2014 , with Oliver Koppell challenging Klein and John Liu challenging Avella . Due to pressure from Governor Andrew Cuomo and labor unions , Klein indicated in June 2014 that the IDC would rejoin the Democratic caucus after the November 2014 elections . Still , the IDC supported Betty Jean Grant ' s unsuccessful primary challenge against Timothy M. Kennedy , due to her pro-choice political stance . Klein and Avella won their primaries . In the general election , Republicans won control of the Senate outright , with Skelos assuming complete control . Though the new Democratic leader , Andrea Stewart-Cousins , had continued discussions with Klein about the IDC rejoining the Democrats , the IDC members decided to remain with the Republicans in the 2015 legislative session . During the 2015 session , the IDC successfully pushed the Republicans to include paid family leave and a $ 15 per hour minimum wage in the state budget . Klein also pushed for more funding to the New York City Housing Authority , and obtained $ 100 million . During Skelos ' 2015 trial for corruption , a wiretapped conversation was aired where Skelos argued that in their power sharing agreement , the IDC would have no real power and it would serve to hinder Democrats by keeping them divided . Klein indicated that this recording would not change the IDC agreement with Republicans . Heading into the November 2016 elections , Klein would not commit to rejoining the Democrats . Following the 2014 primary challenges , the IDC formed their own campaign committee through an agreement with the Independence Party of New York . After the elections , newly elected Senators Marisol Alcantara and Jesse Hamilton joined the IDC . Despite pressure from liberal activists to find a way to unite the 24 mainstream Democrats with the IDC and Felder to form a 32-member majority , including Stewart-Cousins attempting to involve Cuomo , the IDC and Felder continued their relationships with the 31 Senate Republicans , giving Republicans the majority in the 2017 legislative session . In January , Jose Peralta joined the IDC . Following the election and inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the United States , Democrats and constituents of the IDC members began to criticize the IDC for enabling Republican control .