New York Republicans’ downward spiral in the state legislature continued late last week as one of their last Long Island Assemblymembers switched parties to join the Independence Party:

Longtime Republican Assemb. Fred Thiele is switching parties to join the Independence Party, saying the 40-member GOP minority "stands for nothing" and "no longer speaks to pocketbook issues."

The 14-year Albany veteran said he hand-delivered papers to switch at the Suffolk Board of Elections Thursday and will seek to sit with the Assembly's Democratic majority[.]

Thiele, 56, of Sag Harbor, would join the Assembly's only other Independence Party member, Timothy Gordon from Albany, who has run with Democratic backing. If the Democrats accept Thiele, he will become the 110th member of the majority conference.

Thiele, who represents the Suffolk County-based 2nd Assembly district, specifically cited his Republican colleagues’ refusal to offer any amendments when the legislature was writing the state budget. Thiele believes they refused to participate out of fear that Democrats might actually accept some of the Republican amendments, making it harder to run against the budget in November.

The switch leaves the State Assembly with 107 Democrats, 40 Republicans, and three independents caucusing with the Democrats (two from the Independence Party and one from the Working Families Party).