MIAMI - House Speaker Daniel "Danny" Perez, R-Miami, welcomed Rep. Susan Valdes, R-Tampa, to the Republican Party after she abruptly switched her party registration from Democrat to Republican on Monday.
"I'm thrilled to welcome @SusanLValdesFL to the House Republican supermajority," Perez said Monday on social media.Â
Ironically enough, Valdes was reelected last month as a Democrat in House District 64, which covers part of Hillsborough County. In the HD 64 general election, then-Democratic candidate Valdes defeated Republican candidate Maura Cruz Lanz by five points.
Valdes also defeated Cruz Lanz as a Democrat by 7 points in 2022. Notably, due to term limits, Valdes cannot run for reelection in her current House seat.
Moreover, Valdes' switch comes after she lost a bid to chair the Hillsborough County Democratic Party to Vanessa Lester, who was considered the more progressive candidate over the establishment's pick in Valdes.
"Effective immediately, I will change my registration from a Democrat to Republican and will join the Republican Conference in the Florida House of Representatives," Valdes said in a statement. "Our Speaker, Rep. Daniel Perez, has laid out a vision for the House that focuses on empowering House members to work on real problems facing our communities."
According to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, Democrats out-register Republicans by approximately 3300 votes. However, Republican President-elect Donald Trump won Hillsborough County by nearly 21,000 votes, or about 3 points, over Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
Trump's win also marked a major shift for Republicans in Hillsborough County. In 2020, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden beat Trump in Hillsborough by 49,000 votes, or about seven points.
"I want to be part of solving problems for West Tampa. I'm tired of being the party of protesting when I got into politics to be part of the party of progress. 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," Valdes continued.
Along with Perez, Valdes was welcomed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a statement on X.
"I love my community, and I will continue to fight every day to benefit the people of West Tampa, Hillsborough County, and the state of Florida. And in my heart, I know the best way to do that is to stand with Speaker Perez and join the Republican supermajority in the Florida House of Representatives," Valdes added.
With the move, Valdes increases the GOP's supermajority to 86 in the 120-member House. Her loss also shrinks the Democrats to 34 seats.
Democratic House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, who also represents part of Tampa, expressed her disappointment in Valdes' departure in a statement on X.
"I was surprised and disappointed today at the announcement by Representative Susan Valdes that she would be leaving the Democratic Caucus to join the Republican Caucus," Driskell said. "Rep. Valdes was elected by her constituents as a Democrat to fight for our shared values here in Tallahassee and has consistently and publicly shared that she feels the Republican Party does not adequately represent her constituents or beliefs. It is sad she has elevated her own aspirations above the needs of her district."
