State Rep. Hilary Cassell said Florida Democrats are out of touch with voters and likely to achieve their priorities from within the Republican Party. File | Photo Credit: AP
The Florida Democratic Party’s losses didn’t stop on Election Day. A second state lawmaker has announced he is switching party affiliations and joining the Republican caucus.
Rep. Hilary Cassel said in a social media post that Florida Democrats are out of touch with voters and likely to achieve their priorities from within the Republican Party.
“I am continually troubled by the current Democratic Party’s inability to empathize with everyday Floridians. I cannot remain in a party that does not represent my values any longer,” Cassel wrote on X.
Mr. Cassel, who is Jewish, also criticized the Democratic Party for its “failure to clearly support Israel.”
Cassel represents part of Broward County, considered one of the most reliably Democratic areas in the state. Cassel won reelection without appearing on the ballot because no one opposed her in November.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried called Cassell’s decision “deeply disappointing.”
“Now is not the time to stand back and walk away. This is a time for leadership and self-reflection,” Freed said.
Cassel’s Friday announcement comes after Rep. Susan Valdez, D-Tampa, said earlier this month that although she won re-election as a Democrat in November, she was “tired of being party to the protests.” It is something.
The Florida Republican Party has controlled both the governor’s office and the Legislature since 1999. Cassel’s replacement will give Republicans an 87-33 majority in the House of Representatives over Democrats.
Florida, once one of the nation’s most competitive states, has shifted to the right in recent years. Susan McManus, a political science professor emeritus at the University of South Florida, said the party switch shows how little power Democrats have under decades of Republican trifecta.
“Democrats couldn’t reliably break the supermajority, so what options do they really have?” McManus said.
issued – Dec 31, 2024 9:18am IST
