The Democratic Party has a problem, both at the national and state levels: they have lost ground with traditionally Democrat voting blocs like Blacks and Hispanics. Big time. It's so bad the absolute peaches at The Bulwark are now in favor of deporting Hispanics because they pivoted so hard to Trump.
Will they learn how to get those voters back? Probably not.
In Florida, Democrat State Rep. Susan Valdes realized her now-former party has no interest in helping her constituents and she's jumped ship to the GOP:
#BREAKING: Florida Democratic Rep. Susan Valdes switches registration to Republican, saying her previous party "ignore[d] the needs of [her] community"
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) December 9, 2024
She said Speaker @Daniel_PerezFL's vision for the coming session inspired her to want to be part of the GOP caucus… pic.twitter.com/WI6ZJPhPH3
Here's more from Florida's Voice:
State Rep. Susan Valdes announced Monday she is switching her party registration from Democratic to Republican.
In her statement, she pointed to new House Speaker Daniel Perez’s 'vision for the House that focuses on empowering House members to work on real problems facing our communities.'
'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,' Valdes said.
'In the House, I have long known that no one has a monopoly on good ideas,' she said. '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.'
Welcome to the party.
From Tulsi Gabbard, to mayor of Dallas and perhaps soon the mayor of NYC, there have been a great many politicians switching from Democrat to Republican often with a stop at independent in between the last several years. Politicians are seeing the Democratic Party went far left.
— TS Waters 🇺🇸🇮🇱 (@TSWatersWriting) December 9, 2024
So far Left they're pushing everyone else to the Right.
I'd like some of the big podcasters reaching out to interview these flippers. I'd like to hear actual conversations and real, thoughtful reasoning as to why they switched. I think it's great that they do. But, I want to hear the thought process.
— Mort (@MortRouge80) December 9, 2024
That would be interesting to listen to.
@JohnFetterman
— TrashDragon (@TrashDragon06) December 9, 2024
At this point you have entirely too much common sense to keep hanging out with the political left.
He's not wrong.
This is fine. Welcome to the club. Just understand many of the principles the current Democratic Party are not compatible with the populous Republican movement.
— Wil Webb+ (@LoanNinja) December 9, 2024
It'll be interesting to see how she votes going forward.
Welcome to the GOP, Rep. Valdes!
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) December 9, 2024
Congrats to Speaker @Daniel_PerezFL on the biggest Republican majority in the history of the Florida House! https://t.co/vf1oif6cBy
What a great state Florida has become under DeSantis' leadership.
This is a big deal. With Rep. Valdes joining the GOP, Florida's House now has the biggest Republican majority ever. Florida has turned from a swing state to a red state under Governor @RonDeSantis' leadership, and Speaker @Daniel_PerezFL is helping to make it even redder! 🎉 https://t.co/ASKuBh5xNq
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) December 9, 2024
Absolutely amazing.
Welcome to the Republican Party, @SusanLValdesFL! Your decision is a testament to the shared values of freedom, opportunity, and responsibility. Looking forward to seeing the impact you'll make with your voice and leadership! https://t.co/WjxHcBOG29
— Republican State Leadership Committee (@RSLC) December 10, 2024
There's more that unites us than divides us.
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