Jose Peralta joins Senate IDC, becomes eighth member (NYS)

[brooklynite]

Albany Times-Union

State Sen. Jose Peralta, a Queens Democrat, is joining the Senate Independent Democratic Conference.

The move makes him the conference’s eighth member and further bolster its power in a chamber with incredibly complex power dynamics.

“Today’s political climate demands that progressive legislators take bold action to deliver for their constituents. That’s why I’ve decided to join the Independent Democratic Conference, where I can best affect progressive change on issues like affordable housing, higher education, school funding equity, homelessness reforms, economic development, infrastructure upgrades, affordable healthcare, senior citizen protections and so much more,” Peralta said in a statement released hours after the news first broke Wednesday. “The IDC’s track record on delivering for the most vulnerable New Yorkers is irrefutable. They delivered an increased minimum wage, free UPK and Paid Family Leave. Joining the IDC will allow me to not only speak about, but deliver on a progressive agenda for all New Yorkers.”

Peralta joins Sen. Jesse Hamilton of Brooklyn and Sen. Marisol Alcantara as new additions to the conference, which is led by Sen. Jeff Klein of the Bronx. The IDC is part of a majority coalition with the Senate Republicans, who — with the help of a Brooklyn Democratic senator — hold the 32-member majority needed to control legislation.

The easy answer that gets thrown out here is that these are "DINOs" or "sell-outs". But when 25% of elected Democrats have quit the Caucus, that would appear to raise some questions about the Democratic leadership team.

[frazzled]

1. 8 out of 194 Democratic representatives is 4%

not 25%.

[brooklynite]

2. This is the NYS Senate...there are 32 Democrats, of which 8 are in the IDC.

[frazzled]

3. Oh, you should have put this in the NYS forum; it doesn't particularly belong in General Discussion

because it pertains to NYS politics only, not to "Democratic leadership" in general. Zero democrats in the US Congress are caucusing with Republicans.

[msongs]

4. it is a general discussion topic - how dems sell out people who voted for them nt