Labor groups, including 1199-SEIU, are in negotiations with Senate Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeff Klein to have his conference rejoin mainline Democrats. The negotiations come days after Gov. Andrew Cuomo won the Working Families Party endorsement by promising, among other things, to work to put Democrats back in charge of the Senate. Klein faces a primary from former New York City Council Member Oliver Koppell. Fellow IDC member Sen. Tony Avella faces a primary from former Comptroller John Liu and Democrats are said to be looking for candidates to challenge the rest of the IDC. However, Cuomo hasn’t ratcheted up the rhetoric against Senate Republicans who share control of the Senate with the IDC.
"We've reversed that partisanship that existed in Albany," Cuomo told reporters in Rochester yesterday. “The lack of partisanship in Albany is something that I’m very proud of. Democrat, Republicans, we’re New Yorkers first, and that’s how I govern, and that’s what has turned this state around, and we’re not going back.” Cuomo called Republicans “ultra-cons” while addressing the WFP on Saturday.
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