Florida lawmaker’s party switch increases Republican supermajority in the House

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — If last month’s election wasn’t painful enough for Florida Democrats, they’re losing another state House seat after one of their members announced Monday that she’s switching parties.

State Rep. Susan Valdés, a former school board member who was reelected as a Democrat last month, said on X that she is “tired of being the party of protesting.”

Valdés ran to be chairperson for her local county’s Democratic executive committee earlier this month. She won her current term by nearly 5 percentage points but can’t run for reelection again because of term limits.

Republicans have controlled the governor’s office and both branches of the Legislature since 1999. Valdés is serving her final two years before leaving office due to term limits. Republicans now have an 86-34 majority in the House.

“I got into politics to be part of the party of progress,” Valdés wrote. “I know that I won’t agree with my fellow Republican House members on every issue, but I know that in their caucus, I will be welcomed and treated with respect.”

House Speaker Daniel Perez reposted Valdés’ statement and welcomed her into the House, where Republicans have a supermajority of 86-34. House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell said she was surprised and disappointed by Valdés’ announcement.

“It is sad that she has elevated her own aspirations above the needs of her district,” Driskell wrote in a statement on X.