ævˈɛlə ɪz ɐ fˈɔːɹmɚ mˈɛmbɚɹ ʌvðɪ ˌɪndᵻpˈɛndənt dˌɛməkɹˈæɾɪk kˈɑːnfɹəns ˌaɪdˌiːsˈiː, ɐ ɡɹˈuːp ʌv dˌɛməkɹˈæɾɪk stˈeɪt sˈɛnəɾɚz hˌuː ˈælaɪd ðɛmsˈɛlvz wɪð sˈɛnət ɹᵻpˈʌblɪkənz.
Avella is a former member of the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), a group of Democratic state senators who allied themselves with Senate Republicans.