State Lawmaker Switches From Democrat To Republican

Florida State Representative Hillary Cassel announced she will leave the Democratic Party and switch her party affiliation to Republican.

“This decision was not made lightly but comes from a deep sense of responsibility to my constituents and my commitment to the values that guide my service. I will be joining the Republican Conference of the Florida House of Representatives because I believe in their vision for a better, more prosperous Florida,” Cassel said in a statement.

“As a mother, I want to help build a world where our children are judged on their character and their actions not on their labels. As a proud Jewish woman, I have been increasingly troubled by the Democratic Party’s failure to unequivocally support Israel and its willingness to tolerate extreme progressive voices that justify or condone acts of terrorism. I’m constantly troubled by the inability of the current Democratic Party to relate to everyday Floridians. I can no longer remain in a party that doesn’t represent my values,” she continued.

Read the full statement:

See statement below. pic.twitter.com/YJbqjpt8Kh

— Rep. Hillary Cassel (@RepCassel) December 27, 2024

A closer look:

Florida’s Voice reports:

Cassel represents House District 101 which encompasses Dania Beach and parts of Broward County.

She was elected in 2022 and her term ends Nov. 3, 2026. In 2022, she won with 53% of the vote in 2022, defeating Republican Guy Silla, who received 46%.

Florida State Rep. Susan Valdés, who represents Florida’s 64th district, also switched to the Republican Party this month.

State Lawmaker Switches To Republican Party

Valdés, whose district includes parts of Hillsborough County, was elected to her fourth term in the State House as a Democrat.

“I have spent my adult life fighting to give a voice to the people of my West Tampa home. 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,” Valdés said.

“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,” she continued.

“Effective immediately, I will change my registration from a Democrat to Republican and will join the Republican Conference in the Florida House of Representatives,” she added.

See statement below… pic.twitter.com/JUVhsziSL7

— Susan L. Valdés (@SusanLValdesFL) December 9, 2024

Per Florida Politics:

Indeed, both shifts are major wins for Speaker Perez, who is continuing to grow the GOP majority even after the November election. Perez confirmed the move in a Friday statement to members obtained by Florida Politics.

“Today, Representative Hillary Cassel has left the Democratic Party and will be joining our House Republican Conference. She will be a valuable asset as we work together to improve the lives of all Floridians. I would encourage you to reach out to Rep. Cassel and welcome her to our team, which will now bring our Republican supermajority to a historic 87 members (73% of the House),” Perez wrote.

“I hope that you enjoy the rest of your holiday break and rest up. We have a lot of work to do together in 2025.”

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

View the original article here.