Mainline Senate Dems call on Cuomo to bring IDC, Felder back (updated)
Source: Albany Times-Union
The mainline state Senate Democratic conference on Thursday urged Gov. Andrew Cuomo to unite Democrats in the chamber as their candidate in a tight Long Island race pulls ahead with more than 1,000 ballots set aside because of objections yet to be counted.
With John Brooks declaring victory in that 8th Senate District race on Wednesday (to be clear, Republicans have not conceded the race), Democrats technically would have the 32 votes required to control the chamber. But Brooks would be only the 24th member of the mainline Democratic Conference. Left un-united are the mainline Dems, the seven-member Independent Democratic Conference and Sen. Simcha Felder, a Brooklyn Democrat who has again committed to caucusing with the GOP.
In a statement, Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins expressed incredulity that there is a mind-boggling question about control of the Senate.
...snip...
Update: From IDC spokeswoman Candice Giove:
Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins has not spoken to Senator Klein in nearly a month, and so we have no idea what her grand plan is for Democratic unity. Leaders lead by engaging directly. The IDC will continue to do whats in the best interest of New Yorks working- and middle-class families.
Read more: http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/269765/mainline-senate-dems-call-on-cuomo-to-bring-idc-felder-back/
This is why I don't contribute to NY State races: while it's easy to blame the IDC faction, the reality is that there's no Party organization in NY with the strength or willingness to work for a unified Democratic coalition.
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