Diane Savino

Savino and her IDC colleagues rejoined the Senate Democratic Conference in April 2018. In the 2018 Democratic Primary, Savino defeated Jasmine Robinson, a legal secretary who had been endorsed by the progressive groups Citizen Action of New York and Our Revolution, by a 67-21% margin. Savino was one of only two former IDC members (along with David Carlucci) to win their primary races. In the 2018 general election, Savino defeated her Republican opponent, David Krainert, by a 69-28% margin.

As of 2018, Savino was in a long-term relationship with then-State Senator Jeffrey Klein. The Italian-American politician is known for her early to bed, early to rise lifestyle. She lives by herself in Staten Island. She is a self-admitted "neurotic cleaner". New York politician Matthew Titone once tricked her into cleaning his apartment.

In 2014, medical marijuana was legalized in New York; Savino was the lead sponsor of that legislation. Savino has also sponsored proposed legislation that would legalize physician-assisted suicide.

From January 2011 to April 2018, Savino was a member of the Independent Democratic Conference, a group of eight Democratic state senators who formed a separate conference and allied themselves with Senate Republicans. Savino and her IDC colleagues rejoined the Senate Democratic Conference in April 2018. Savino was one of only two former members of the IDC that survived primary challenges in the 2018 New York Senate elections.

In 2011, Savino—together with Democratic Sens. Jeffrey D. Klein, David J. Valesky, and David Carlucci—formed the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC). The IDC caucused separately from the other State Senate Democrats; eventually, in December 2012, the IDC entered into a power-sharing arrangement with Senate Republicans that has lasted ever since. When the Republican Conference won enough seats for outright control of the Senate in 2014, Savino and the rest of the IDC chose to remain aligned with them.

On December 2, 2009, Savino voted for same sex marriage legislation, which failed to pass the Senate. Her speech on same-sex marriage became popular on the Internet. Subsequently, in 2011, the Marriage Equality Act passed the Senate and became law; Savino voted for this bill as well.

In 2004, Savino was elected to represent the 23rd Senatorial District. She succeeded longtime Senator Seymour P. Lachman, who had retired.

Diane J. Savino (born September 28, 1963) is a Democratic politician representing the 23rd Senate District in the New York State Senate, in northern Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn, including Sunset Park, Bay Ridge, Bath Beach, Brighton Beach, and Coney Island.