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Sen. Daniel Squadron, D-New York, speaks during a news conference at the state Capitol on Monday, May 9, 2016, in Albany, N.Y. The New York Senate Elections Committee has briefly considered legislation to close a campaign finance loophole for limited liability companies, its Republican members voting to send it to another committee. Squadron, the lead sponsor, urged the Elections Committee to send it to a floor vote in the Republican-controlled chamber instead, where all senators would have to publicly show their positions. (AP Photo/Mike Groll) less Sen. Daniel Squadron, D-New York, speaks during a news conference at the state Capitol on Monday, May 9, 2016, in Albany, N.Y. The New York Senate Elections Committee has briefly considered legislation to close ... more Photo: Mike Groll Senate Democratic Policy Group Chair Daniel Squadron speaks as the Senate Democratic Conference unveils a set of policy initiatives to help New York families during the critical early childhood period on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016, during a news conference at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union) less Senate Democratic Policy Group Chair Daniel Squadron speaks as the Senate Democratic Conference unveils a set of policy initiatives to help New York families during the critical early childhood period on ... more Photo: John Carl D'Annibale State Senator Daniel Squadron, Common Cause/NY and good government advocacy groups urged Senate Majority Leader Flanagan to hold a full senate vote on S.60 to close the "LLC loophole" during a press conference held Thursday morning May 28, 2015 at the State Capitol in Albany, N.Y. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less State Senator Daniel Squadron, Common Cause/NY and good government advocacy groups urged Senate Majority Leader Flanagan to hold a full senate vote on S.60 to close the "LLC loophole" during a press conference ... more Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN, ALBANY TIMES UNION State Senator Daniel Squadron, Common Cause/NY and good government advocacy groups urged Senate Majority Leader Flanagan to hold a full senate vote on S.60 to close the "LLC loophole" during a press conference held Thursday morning May 28, 2015 at the State Capitol in Albany, N.Y. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less State Senator Daniel Squadron, Common Cause/NY and good government advocacy groups urged Senate Majority Leader Flanagan to hold a full senate vote on S.60 to close the "LLC loophole" during a press conference ... more Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN, ALBANY TIMES UNION

Sen. Daniel Squadron, left, voices demands for the removal of Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos during session on Wednesday, May 6, 2015, at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Sen. Daniel Squadron, left, voices demands for the removal of Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos during session on Wednesday, May 6, 2015, at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Democrat Daniel Squadron quitting state Senate seat

ALBANY State Sen. Daniel Squadron, D-Brooklyn, will resign from the Senate on Friday, he announced Wednesday morning.

In an emailed statement, Squadron said he has decided to try to make a difference in states across the country by pushing policies and candidates "that will create a fairer and more democratic future."

"It's not possible to take on this challenge and continue to be a full-time legislator, which is what I always promised I would be," he said.

"When I was first elected in 2008 in a season of hope and change, I hoped to bring enthusiasm for government to the district, and a government to be more proud of to Albany," his statement continues. "Though progress has sometimes been slow and there is much more to do in this much less hopeful time the many constituents, colleagues, and staff with whom I've partnered have kept that enthusiasm, and pride in public service, alive."

In an op-ed in the Daily News, Squadron he knocked the fact that Democrats do not have a majority despite having the numbers to control the chamber.

He wrote that upon election in 2008, he believed in state government's potential.

"I still do," Squadron wrote. "But over the years I have seen it thwarted by a sliver of heavily invested special interests. In the state Senate, for example, Democrats have repeatedly been denied control of the chamber by cynical political deals, despite winning an electoral majority including in 2016."

The eight-member Independent Democratic Conference has a majority coalition with the Senate Republicans, who number 32 members (the bare minimum needed to control the chamber) because Brooklyn Democrat Simcha Felder sits with the conference.

As Squadron notes in his op-ed, the 26th Senate District, which covers parts of Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan, is a safely Democratic seatbased on voter enrollment.

The seat would be filled this November during off-cycle elections, though if the Legislature were to return before then for some reason, the number of registered Democrats in the chamber would be 31 (22 mainline Democratic senators Squadron is currently the 23rd eight members of the IDC and Felder).

In a statement, Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins wished Squadron luck.

"Daniel Squadron has been a fantastic Senator, a dedicated public servant, and a dear friend," she said. "Senator Squadron was a strong advocate for his community and for all New Yorkers. He worked tirelessly to make our state a better, fairer, and more ethical place. I look forward to working with him on the national level to spread progressive values and responsible government. I thank Daniel for his service and wish him the best of luck on this new challenge."

Squadron's exit may not be the only in the Senate before the end of the year. Democratic Senators George Latimer of Westchester County and Ruben Diaz Sr. of the Bronx are seeking local elected positions. Republican Sen. Phil Boyle of Long Island is running for Suffolk County Sheriff.

Should all of those senators leave, the Senate math obviously would further fluctuate. Any of their exits would key up special elections (or, if they resign, elections in November) for their seats.

Squadron's decision to leave comes at a time when Democratic voters in some areas have become impassioned about installing a Democratic majority in the Senate, a task that is easier said than done because of internal politics.

Their pleas led the state Democratic Committee to adopt a resolution last month calling for Senate re-unification, much to the chagrin of the IDC, led by Sen. Jeff Klein of the Bronx. Party brass said that though the party doesn't get involved in primaries, the resolution encourages people to primary the independent Democratic senators.

Only one senator was in attendance at that meeting in Colonie, Sen. Leroy Comrie of Queens, who stood to applaud the resolution.

Still, the IDC hasn't backed down.

"The reason why the Democratic Party is losing across the nation and at home is that they are coopted by a small band of misfits who continue to talk to each other in echo chambers and refuse to acknowledge that the party of Roosevelt, Kennedy and Clinton no longer has the ability to communicate with working-class voters," IDC spokeswoman Candice Giove said at the time. "The Independent Democratic Conference will continue to fight for the working class and espouse the hopes and aspirations of all New Yorkers. Big tent Democratic politics is good government and good politics. We will see you at the polls."

News of Squadron's resignation coincidentally came as new account emerged of a meeting last month between Gov. Andrew Cuomo criticized by some for not doing more to reunify the Democratic factions and the mainline Democratic senators. The New York Times reported Wednesday that Cuomo suggested that the IDC had a better understanding of the suburbs than the mainline Democrats.

Stewart-Cousins, who represents Westchester County, replied, according to the Times: "You look at me, Mr. Governor, but you don't see me. You see my black skin and a woman, but you don't realize I am a suburban legislator. Jeff Klein doesn't represent the suburbs. I do."

A Cuomo spokeswoman told the Times that the comment "was not of particular note" and the meeting was friendly and positive.

mhamilton@timesunion.com 518-454-5449 @matt_hamilton10

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Democrat Daniel Squadron quitting state Senate seat - Albany Times Union