Michael Gormley is reporting for the Associated Press Republicans and the Independent Democratic Conference struck a deal Tues., Dec. 4, to take control of the state Senate in an unprecedented power-sharing deal. The announcement by Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos and IDC leader Jeffrey Klein dashed the hopes of the traditional Democratic conference from taking the near absolute control of the majority. Democrats won more seats than Republicans in the November elections. “Welcome to ‘The Twilight Zone,“’ said Doug Muzzio, political scientist at Baruch College. “But my gut tells me this might work out better than anyone anticipated.” The deal struck will give the GOP and independent Democrats shared control of moving legislation and negotiating a state budget with the Assembly speaker and Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.