Posted on 12/10/2024 4:40:59 AM PST by CFW
Florida, which has grown increasingly red and seen plenty of red waves over recent years, already enjoys trifecta control in the state government. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis will have one more fellow Republican, though, with state Rep. Susan Valdes switching her party affiliation from Democrat to Republican. Her district includes West Tampa, with such a party change being effective immediately.
Early on in her statement, Valdes explained that it was "partly out of habit" that she was a Democrat. "I have done so as a Democrat partly out of habit -- I come from a family of Democrats -- and partly because I believed the Democrats were the party most concerned with the working families I represent," her statement's opening read in part.
"In the House, I have long known that no one has a monopoly on good ideas. I will not waste my final two years in the Florida Legislature being ignored in a caucus whose leadership expects me to ignore the needs of my community," her statement continued.
[snip]
Before Valdes' switch, the makeup in the Florida House was 85-35. Republicans also enjoy a 28-12 majority in the state Senate.
(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...
I suspect we will continue to see more of this. I'm always a bit wary of these switches since I wonder if they are making the change just to keep being elected in an area that has moved to the right since their original election. Some will make the change but then continue to vote with their former colleagues. So I take a "wait and see" attitude and watch how they vote.
However, it sounds as if Valdes is serious and realizes that she identified as (D) simply out of habit but now sees that the party does not reflect her or her constituent's values.
Already posted:
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4283586/posts
See post 9, which provides facts with which to counter the “purists” and other pearl-clutchers.
And...snap...just like that a RINO was born.
State government-minor leagues. JV team.
Maybe someone in the U.S. House will do a Ben Nighthorse Campbell and flip to Republican. The person may not be perfect but will at least be caucusing with Republicans.
I don’t trust Dems who do this. Wolf in sheep’s clothing type thing...
“””I suspect we will continue to see more of this. I’m always a bit wary of these switches since I wonder if they are making the change just to keep being elected in an area that has moved to the right since their original election. Some will make the change but then continue to vote with their former colleagues. So I take a “wait and see” attitude and watch how they vote.”””
As a Florida resident I agree with you. At the local level I am seeing far too many former Democrats switch to GOP so they have a chance of winning. When these faux Republicans do win, they still act like Democrats.
“I don’t trust Dems who do this. Wolf in sheep’s clothing type thing...”
Dems outnumbered Repubs by large numbers in FL for many, many years. If nobody had switched parties, there would probably still be more Dems than GOP in FL.
Webb County’s top elected official switches to Republican Party [Texas]
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/10/texas-webb-county-judge-tano-tijerina-republican/
I’m looking for Detroit Mayor Duggan to switch and then run for governor. Rumor is he will run for governor as an independent.
I come from an old (1830’s) Florida cracker family of Democrats. Conservative to the bone. Since the election of Kennedy in the 60’s, there has been a continuing shift toward the Republican party by family, friends and neighbors. It’s been a ratcheting effect that moves in only one direction. Not lightning fast, but steady and showing no signs of reversing. Even the straglers, though being late to the party, are and have always been strongly conservative. My home county was 99% Democrat in the 60’s, is now 75% Republican, while the 25% black population, though very socially conservative, continue to call themselves Democrat.
Those numbers are incredible.
With the 2030 census Florida will pick up a few US House seats as well—with a little bit of gerrymandering from a friendly legislature they should all be Republican.
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