Florida State Rep. Susan Valdés has announced she is leaving the Democratic Party and joining the Republican Party, just a month after being reelected as a Democrat. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Valdés explained that, despite her time in the Democratic Party, she felt that her efforts to represent the people of West Tampa were being undermined.
Valdés, who has served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, stated, “No one has a monopoly on good ideas,” and emphasized her dissatisfaction with the current leadership in the Democratic Party, which she claims has ignored the needs of her community.
“Effective immediately, I will change my registration from a Democrat to Republican and will join the Republican Conference in the Florida House of Representatives,” Valdés announced.
The state representative also praised Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez, a Republican, for his vision, which she believes will allow lawmakers to focus on tangible solutions for the community. Valdés expressed her desire to work on real problems facing West Tampa and noted she is tired of partisan protests. “I got into politics to be part of the party of progress,” she said.
While Valdés acknowledged she may not always agree with Republicans on every issue, she expressed confidence that the party would welcome her and respect her perspectives. She vowed to continue working for the people of West Tampa, Hillsborough County, and the state of Florida, believing that her best path forward was to join the Republican supermajority in the Florida House.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis welcomed Valdés to the GOP with a tweet saying, “Welcome to the GOP, Rep. Valdés!” He also congratulated Speaker Daniel Perez for overseeing the largest Republican majority in the history of the Florida House.
Valdés’ decision to switch parties followed her defeat in a bid to become the chair of the Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee. Following her announcement, Vanessa Lester, Chair of the Hillsborough County Democratic Party, criticized Valdés, calling her a “political opportunist” and saying that her constituents in District 64 were right to feel betrayed. “They voted for a Democrat to fight for them and ended up with someone who abandoned them,” Lester stated in a Facebook post.
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