NYS Legislature – Political Leaders and Party Affiliation (1954-Present)

Majority Leader, Senate	Assembly Speaker
Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D) 2019-Present	Carl Heastie (D) February 3, 2015-Present
John J. Flanigan (R) May 11, 2015-December 31, 2018
Dean Skelos (R) January 1, 2015-May 11, 2015 Resigned due to federal corruption charges	Joseph D. Morelle (D) February 3, 2015-February 3, 2015 (Acting Speaker)
Jeffrey Klein (D)/Dean Skelos January 1, 2013-December 31, 2014 Democrats took a 3-seat majority in the 2012 election. Klein led the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), a group of breakaway Democratic senators, who allied themselves with Republican senators in a power-sharing agreement – thereby denying the Democrats control of the Senate.
Dean Skelos (R) 2011-2012
Vacant (December 14, 2010-December 31, 2010	Sheldon Silver (D) February 11, 1994-February 2, 2015 (second longest serving Assembly speaker, resigned after federal charges that he took nearly $4 million in kickbacks)
Pedro Espada, Jr. (D) July 9, 2009-December 14, 2010 (while Majority Leader, Espada was indicted on six federal counts of embezzlement and theft – Senate removed him from his position	Saul Weprin (D) December 16, 1991-February 11, 1994 (elected to complete Miller’s term, died in office)
Dean Skelos/Malcom Smith (Disputed) June 15-July 9, 2009 (Senate was tied, both leaders claimed to be the Majority Leader)	James R. Tallon Jr. (D) December 31, 1991-December 16, 1991 (Acting Speaker until a permanent speaker was elected)
Malcom Smith (D) January 7-June 8, 2009	Mel Miller (D) January 8, 1987-December 31, 1991 (removed from office after federal conviction during his third term)
Dean Skelos (R) June 24, 2008- December 31, 2008	Stanley Fink (D) January 2, 1979- December 31, 1986
Joseph Bruno (R) November 25, 1994-June 24, 2008 (resigned in the midst of a corruption scandal)	Stanley Steingut (D) January 8, 1975- December 31, 1978
Ralph Marino (R) January 1989-November 25, 1994 (ousted before the end of his third term)	Perry Duryea (R) January 8, 1969-December 31, 1974
Warren Anderson (R) January 1973-December 31, 1988 (longest serving Majority Leader)	Moses M. Weinstein (D) July 23, 1968-December 31, 1968)
Earl Brydges (R) January 1966-December 31, 1972	Anthony Travia (D) February 4, 1965-July 22, 1968 (vacated seat upon appointment as a federal judge)
Joseph Zaretski (D) February 3-December 31, 1965 (elected after a month of deadlock – tied to court ordered redistricting)	Joseph Carlino (R) May 21, 1959-December 31, 1965
Walter Mahoney (R) January 6, 1954-December 31, 1964	Oswald D. Heck (R) January 13, 1937-May 21, 1959 (longest serving speaker – died in office)

Table compiled by Laurie Buonanno (June 30, 2024).