New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says any end to the Democratic schism in the state Senate isn’t going to happen until next year.
The Senate is now controlled by a coalition of Republicans and a faction of independent Democrats who left the main Democratic conference.
Cuomo has vowed to work to return Senate control to the Democrats, either by healing the split or by working to defeat Republicans and independent Democrats in the fall election.
On Monday, he told reporters that it will be next year before any Democratic reconciliation will happen.
Democratic Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins says she hasn’t had any discussions with independent Democrats about ending the schism.
Senate Co-Leader Jeff Klein, who leads the breakaway Democrats, said Friday that he’s focused on legislative work and not politics.
(AP)
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You need a scorecard to tell the players. Here are the current standings in the 63 member Senate:
29 Republicans in the Republican caucus.
25 Democrats in the Democratic caucus.
5 Democrats in the Independent Democratic caucus.
2 Democrats who were thrown out of the Democratic caucus for corruption, and have been told that they are unwelcome in any other caucus.
1 Democrat who sits in the Republican caucus (Simcha Felder).
1 vacancy caused by a Republican who resigned.
So while the voters elected 33 Democrats and 30 Republicans, the politicians thwarted the voters’ will.
It should be noted that two of the Democrats in the Democratic caucus represent upstate seats easily carried by Barack Obama that they won only after counting provisional ballots. Those seats are being targeted by Republicans and it will be very difficult to hold them. So Andrew Cuomo may still get his desired Republican-controlled Senate even if he can cajole Klein and company to return to the fold.