Klein, Savino, Valesky, and Carlucci formed the IDC in 2011 due to disagreements with John L. Sampson, the Democratic leader in the New York State Senate.

In 2020, Carlucci opted not to seek re-election to the senate and instead ran to succeed the retiring Nita Lowey as the U.S. representative for New York's 17th congressional district; he finished fourth in the Democratic primary.

[3] Jeffrey D. Klein, who became the deputy majority leader after the 2008 elections, was charged with keeping Espada, Diaz, Kruger, and Monserrate in the Democratic coalition.

[8] Governor Andrew Cuomo was actively involved in the formation of the conference, encouraging it to maintain Republican leadership of the chamber and providing tactical advice in order to keep more liberal New York City Democrats out of power.

[23] Due to pressure from Governor Andrew Cuomo and labor unions, Klein indicated in June 2014 that the IDC would rejoin the Democratic caucus after the November 2014 elections.

[15] During the 2015 session, the IDC successfully pushed the Republicans to include paid family leave and a $15 per hour minimum wage in the state budget.

[33] After some of its members faced primary challenges in 2014, the IDC formed its own campaign committee through an agreement with the Independence Party of New York.

[36] Despite pressure from liberal activists to unite the 24 mainstream Democrats with the IDC and Felder to form a 32-member majority,[37] and despite attempts by Stewart-Cousins to involve Cuomo in the situation,[38] the IDC and Felder continued their relationships with the 31 Senate Republicans, giving Republicans the majority in the 2017 legislative session.

[40] Following the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States in November 2016, the Senate Democratic Conference and grassroots activists (including members of Rise and Resist and several Indivisible groups) stepped up their criticism of the IDC for splitting the Democratic vote in the State Senate and enabling Republicans to maintain control of the chamber.

[41][42][43][44] In early May 2017, it was revealed that members of the IDC, among them Savino and Peralta, received stipends normally reserved only for chairmen of committees, who, in these cases, were Republicans.

[51] Following the dissolution of the IDC, Avella, Alcantara, Carlucci and Hamilton were all stripped of their committee chairships by Senate Majority Leader John J.

[52] In addition, 39 IDC staffers were laid off, and Klein was required to move out of his office suite and relinquish his state vehicle.

[56] On July 20, 2018, the New York State Board of Elections directed the eight former members of the IDC to return all contributions they had received from the Senate Independence Campaign Committee.

[57] In the Democratic Party primary elections held on September 13, 2018, all eight former members of the IDC at the time of its dissolution faced challengers.

[74] Carlucci was felt to be a formidable candidate, as he was considered to have a lock on support from voters west of the Hudson River, which bisects the district.

[74][76] Pro-choice groups devoted money and resources to opposing his bid, as during his period in the state senate he had helped block pro-abortion legislation.

[77] Carlucci's campaign began to falter as time went on, suffering from poor fundraising and a lack of prominent endorsements, and he finished fourth in the Democratic primary.

[80] In February 2022, Staten Island Advance reported that Savino, the last remaining IDC member in the New York State Senate, would not seek re-election in 2022.