Florida state Rep. Susan Valdés announced Monday she is defecting to the Republican Party — immediately after being re-elected as a Democrat.Valdés, a Cuban-American lawmaker who was raised by immigrants in New York, represents a Tampa area district."I have spent my adult life fighting to give a voi...

Florida state Rep. Susan Valdés announced Monday she is defecting to the Republican Party — immediately after being re-elected as a Democrat.

  • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.worldEnglish
    29·
    13 days ago

    From Hillsborough Democrat Susan Valdés switches to Republican Party

    But there was little indication Valdés was contemplating such a move until Monday. She ran to be the Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee chairperson earlier this month. She attended a Kamala Harris debate watch party in September at a meeting of Hillsborough County Democrats, and she’s posted numerous times to X about the dangers of Donald Trump’s policy platform — particularly when it comes to immigration.

    She flipped because the Republicans are freezing the entire Democratic Party out of the legislative process and she lives in a district that’s been curdling conservative like old milk. Florida has been overflowing with “conservative Democrats” for decades. The party’s been so desperate for wins that they’ve taken to running former Republicans for statewide office.

    It isn’t the vetting structure that’s the problem. The Florida party is rotten to the core. It has been fully co-opted by business interests, social conservatives, and anti-Cuba reactionaries. It’s just a second Republican Party without any pull. Why not flip?

    • thefartographer@lemm.ee
      92·
      13 days ago

      Well said. In 2016, the Democratic party took the stage to demonstrate how they can shoot themselves in the foot. In 2020, they showed that the bullet wound wasn’t healing because they keep putting their finger inside to feel the sweet pain. In 2024, they shot themselves perfectly through the same bullet wound, causing no new damage and impressing a lot of people while other said, “I’m tired of these morons acting like idiots.” So they said “wait! Wait! We have a new trick!” And then shot themselves in the head.

      There are some members of the party who are legitimately trying to help the country and their constituents, and there are plenty who want to be career politicians and have been willing to play ball with the corporate investors.

      On the one hand, I hate that she’s done this. On the other hand, she’s possibly prevented or at least delayed being prosecuted or persecuted by the utterly insane Florida GOP. Maybe this was true malice, but after this year’s performance and results, I wouldn’t have much faith in the Democratic party rescuing my ass in Florida.

    • Flocklesscrow@lemm.eeEnglish
      2·
      12 days ago

      All the more hilarious that Kamala sent Hillary to campaign for her in Florida (and Bill to Michigan) just weeks before the election. Fucking pathetic state of affairs.