In an unbelievable Florida House twist of fate, the Republican supermajority got even redder. Democrat House Representative Susan Valdés switched parties and became a Republican. Valdés (House District 64) was elected as a Democrat for her first term in 2018 for a district that serves Hillsborough County. She has served three terms as a Democrat House member, and now, for her fourth and final term, she has switched parties and become a Republican. Valdés first made the stunning announcement on X.
Subscribe to The Florida Jolt Newsletter!
Valdés made a smart move for her last two years. According to Florida Politics, her decision came after she lost a bid to chair the Hillsborough County Democratic Party despite having strong backing from local elected officials and unions. Due to term limits, Valdés is serving her fourth and final term in the Florida House. In Florida, it is an open secret that Republicans, due to having supermajority status in the House, get more bills passed and more appropriations for their constituents. In her X statement, Valdés mentioned the catalyst for the party change. She’s tired of being part of the party of “protest instead of progress” and wants to roll up her sleeves and get real work done for the people who elected her. She doesn’t want to “waste her final years.”
Her complete statement:
House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell (D-Hillsborough), along with many other Democrats, was not pleased with the switch. In a statement, she said she was surprised and disappointed by it.
Rep. Valdés was elected by her constituents as a Democrat to fight for our shared values here in Tallahassee. She has consistently and publicly shared that she feels the Republican Party does not adequately represent her constituents or beliefs,” Driskell said.
~Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell
Driskell went on to harshly state that;
It is sad that she has elevated her own aspirations above the needs of her district. It feels especially egregious in light of the fact that, just last week, she ran for Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee Chair and lost by a substantial margin. Susan should have trusted her constituents, not pulled a bait-and-switch after the fact.
~Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell
Those are some fighting words from Driskell, but the timing makes sense for Valdés. Like many counties in Florida, Hillsborough County has become considerably more Republican. Valdés wanted to get more done in her last two years by being part of the majority party, and now she will.
Speaker Danny Perez communicated to all House members on December 9th. He had this to say.
(Florida House of Representatives) Members,
I so rarely get to send a communication solely in my role as Republican Leader, but I am thrilled today to announce that Representative Susan Valdés has changed her voter registration from Democrat to Republican.
We all know Susan as a fierce advocate for her community, and a person of uncommon common sense. She will be a great asset to our Republican team.
With this change, we will now have the largest Republican Conference in the history of the Florida House of Representatives. I encourage all of you to reach out to Rep. Valdés and welcome her to our House Republican supermajority.
~Speaker Danny Perez
Majority Leader Tyler Sirois (R-Brevard) sent a follow-up to Republican members, sharing his positive thoughts and pointing out that the Republican majority is now 86 members strong.
Republican Members,
I want to follow up from the Speaker’s text message and welcome Representative Valdés to the House Republican Conference. Having served with her over these many years, I know that Representative Valdes is collaborative, compassionate, and unwavering in her commitment to her district. Representative Valdes joins a House Majority charged by Speaker Perez to address real problems for real Floridians. Her perspective, including her focus on Florida’s children and families, will be a great addition to our team – now 86 members strong.
~Majority Leader Sirois
Valdés is known as a fighter who has worked tirelessly for her constituents and has worked well with both sides of the aisle over the years. She represents a diverse Hispanic population who have shown this election cycle that their votes will not be taken for granted. Many Hispanics voted Republican, despite Democrat party cries of racism and misogyny for doing so, but those who voted Republican did so despite the pearl-clutching progressives.
Valdés is sure to face further criticism from her former Democrat members following her announcement, but Republicans are happy to have her.
Welcome to the right side, Representative Susan Valdés.
Other stories you may want to read:
Accused of Racism And Misogyny for Voting Trump – Hispanics Speak Out
- Uplifting News-Florida House Files Boobie Bill - January 13, 2025
- Florida Party Hoppers: Dem Political Opportunists Betray Voter Trust - January 6, 2025
- Tracy Caruso’s Christmas Fun Column - December 22, 2024