Summary
Florida State Rep. Hillary Cassel, a Democrat representing Broward County, switched to the Republican Party due to concerns about the Democratic Party’s stance on Israel, progressive extremism, and disconnect from “everyday Floridians.”
Cassel’s move follows Tampa Rep. Susan Valdes’ similar defection earlier this month, bolstering Republicans’ supermajority to 87 members in Florida’s 120-seat House.
GOP leaders welcomed Cassel, while Democrats criticized her decision as a betrayal of voters and party principles.
Cassel, first elected in 2022, has been a key Democratic voice on property insurance issues.
Being strategic keeps electing far right conservatives to office. So you enjoy that and pretend it’s normal for two dem presidential candidates in a row to have harsher policies on immigration than any Republican candidate in history.
You’re right that we should not simply go with the strategy devised by corporate consultants or their parties. Flexibility of action means that you don’t stick with the same strategy election after election. It means your actions reflects your local context. It means that real strategy is different from what we’ve been told is “strategic”.
The Democratic party campaigned on “we’re not Trump” and tried to court moderate conservatives for their votes. And they lost engagement from progressive and left voters as a result.
I’m not sure if you’re promoting the idea of voting for Democrats unconditionally or criticizing those who did, but Trump can’t be elected again for 2028. There’s no good reason to “vote blue no matter who” now, and it’s important for progressive voters to put their vote (or at least poll opinion) where their mouths are and reject Democratic candidates and policies that shift the party to the right. Conservatism and Diet Conservatism™ is hardly a choice for anything other than choosing how long it will take before self-centered, protectionist legislation ruins the country.