Blankley: Gov DeSantis Credited-2nd Florida Democrat Flips Republican

The article below was made available from The Center Square to this writer for MHProNews and this Patch is the headline topic. Part II will provide additional insights on if and why it matters, along a reminder about TANSTAAFL and other topics that matter to millions.

Part I

Second Florida Democratic representative flips Republican

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor | Dec 28, 2024

(The Center Square) – A second Florida state House Democrat has switched to the Republican Party, building on momentum that has expanded the Republican Party under Gov. Ron DeSantis.
On Dec. 9, state Rep. Susan Valdés, a lifelong Democrat and Cuban-American from West Tampa, announced she was becoming a Republican. She left the Democratic Party because she “will not waste” her final two years in the state legislature “being ignored in a caucus whose leadership expects me to ignore the needs of my community.”

She said she won’t agree with her Republican colleagues on everything but wants to “roll up my sleeves and work” and “be a part of solving problems for West Tampa.”

“I’m tired of being the party of protesting,” referring to Democrats who no longer represent working families, she said.

In response, U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Miami, welcomed her, saying, “The Republican Party has always been the natural home of the Cuban-American community & we have continued to expand to include our Hispanic and Latino brothers & sisters. Like Ronald Reagan famously said: “Hispanics are Republicans, they just don’t know it yet!”

Leader of the House Democrats Fentrice Driskell said she was “surprised and disappointed” by the announcement.

“Valdés 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,” Driskell said. “It is sad that she has elevated her own aspirations above the needs of her district. It feels especially egregious in light of the fact that, just last week, she ran for Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee Chair and lost by a substantial margin. Susan should have trusted her constituents, not pulled a bait-and-switch after the fact. Nevertheless, this does not change what the Democratic Caucus is here to do.”

Next to announce she left the Democratic Party was state Rep. Hillary Cassel. She joined the Florida GOP on Friday because “I believe in their vision for a better, more prosperous Florida” and expressed concerns about the Democratic Party’s position on Israel.

“As a proud Jewish woman, I have been increasingly troubled by the Democratic Party’s failure to unequivocally support Israel and its willingness to tolerate extreme progressive voices that justify or condone acts of terrorism,” she said. “I’m constantly troubled by the inability of the current Democratic Party to relate to everyday Floridians. I can no longer remain in a party that doesn’t represent my values."

Chair of the Florida Democratic Party, Nikki Fried, criticized the move, saying, “Now is not the time to back down and walk away, it’s time for leadership and self-reflection. Floridians put their trust and faith in Representative Hillary Cassel to fight for them but unfortunately today, they lost representation in the Florida House. Rep. Cassel’s decision to change parties is deeply disappointing but we cannot afford to turn our backs on Floridians.

“Florida Democrats face an uphill battle but that doesn’t mean we give up. There are nearly 4.5 million Democrats in our state and millions more who believe in our values. They are counting on us to continue fighting for them to create a state that is truly free and affordable for all – and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

Florida GOP chairman Evan Power and President-elect Donald Trump welcomed Valdés and Cassel and invited other Democrats to join the Republican Party.

“Make no mistake, Florida leads the way,” Power said. “If Florida Democrats have left you with your failed radical agenda, you can join us to save the Country! It’s why in Florida Republicans now have a 1.15 million voter advantage.”

Trump posted a congratulatory statement on social media and invited “other delusional Democrats to switch parties, and join us on this noble quest to save our country and make America great again – greater than ever before.”

Power said Valdés and Cassel brought the total of state House Republicans to a record 87, “decimating the Florida Democrats.”

Their announcements come after a top Palm Beach County Democrat endorsed and campaigned for DeSantis for governor and a top Jacksonville Democrat endorsed a Republican for sheriff in 2022.

DeSantis is largely credited for ushering in a red wave in Florida. In 2022, he defeated his Democratic challenger by 16 points, the largest margin of any gubernatorial race in 40 years. He built momentum that flipped several counties from blue to red, including Miami-Dade County, the largest county in Florida with a 70% Hispanic population.

Hispanics increasingly voted Republican in the 2022 and 2024 elections; the largest number of Cuban-Americans in recorded history voted for Trump in 2024, The Center Square reported.
This summer, when registered Republican voters surpassed registered Democrats by one million, DeSantis said it was “a sea change that few thought possible.”

Prior to DeSantis, Florida never had more registered Republicans than Democrats in state history. In 2018, registered Democrats outnumbered registered Republicans by nearly 300,000.

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Part II - Additional Information, Insights, and Analysis

In approaching a news story, any news story, it is useful to keep a few things in mind. Journalists are supposed to think: who, what, when, where, why, and how. Cui bono is a Latin phrase investigators use that means "who benefits?" Meaning, what are the motivations behind the person(s) or party(ies) involved? Following the money trail is one of the ways that motivations may be discerned.

Award-winning former CBS News journalist Sharyl Attkisson has written and spoken about what a good journalist should do. Two of the points she stresses are "check your facts" to make sure the reporter got them right. Likewise Attkisson said "follow the money."

https://www.manufacturedhomepr...

In my experience, numbers of journalists may not realize to what extent they are biased. Bias to the left or to the right can cause the same set of facts to be presented in a different way. Numbers of news stories reflect bias, and as the public has become more aware of that bias, various individuals or groups have presented what they see the tilt or bias of a larger media brand to be. One of the ones below is by Attkisson, which this writer has used on our trade news sites for almost as long as she produced it some 6 years ago. The next one is by All Sides Media. I personally may not see the positioning of a publication or network media quite the same way as those shown below. But they are generally helpful and much better than nothing. As you can see, I've added in the bias of Wikipedia and Google, among other facts. Left-leaning media routinely are more pro-Democratic. Right-leaning media are usually more pro-Republican. This is a good place for me to mention that I'm a political independent and have been for over a dozen years.

Ideally, any news story should be about presenting what is true.

So, from Bethany Blankley's article what have we learned? Quoting.

"Rep. Susan Valdés, a lifelong Democrat and Cuban-American from West Tampa, announced she was becoming a Republican. She left the Democratic Party because she “will not waste” her final two years in the state legislature “being ignored in a caucus whose leadership expects me to ignore the needs of my community.

She said she won’t agree with her Republican colleagues on everything but wants to “roll up my sleeves and work” and “be a part of solving problems for West Tampa.”

“I’m tired of being the party of protesting,” referring to Democrats who no longer represent working families, she said."

Two Democratic Party officials are quoted, and both said they were "disappointed." Florida is becoming more Republican, and Governor Ron DeSantis (R) is said to be a factor.

In my view, it is useful to keep history in mind in unpacking a report. History gets a bad wrap, and there are reasons for that, but authentic history is helpful to understand reality. Recall that a few weeks before the 2024 election, DeSantis was credited with influencing the outcome of the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) strike.

https://www.manufacturedhomepr...

Leadership matters in any endevor, be it teaching, coaching, building, politics, religion, retail, media, or whatever. According to the governor's website bio page is the following.

"A native Floridian with blue-collar roots, Governor DeSantis grew up in Dunedin and worked his way through Yale University, where he was the captain of the varsity baseball team, and graduated with honors from Harvard Law School, where he earned a commission in the U.S. Navy as a JAG officer. He deployed to Iraq in support of the SEAL mission in Fallujah, Ramadi, and the rest of the Al Anbar province.

In 2018, Ron DeSantis was elected the 46th Governor of Florida. As Governor, he has led across a wide range of issues by successfully navigating Florida through the COVID pandemic, protecting Floridians from the harmful impacts of illegal immigration, expanding school choice, promoting public safety (with a record 50-year crime low in the state), keeping Florida’s economy strong, ensuring road improvement projects are fully funded and ahead of schedule, and making historic investments in environmental conservation and stewardship.

Thanks to the Governor’s efforts, Florida ranks #1 for economy (among all 50 states); for education (two years in a row); for higher education (eight years in a row); for attracting and developing a talented workforce; for parental empowerment and educational freedom; for tourism and net in-migration; and for law enforcement recruiting and support.

Governor DeSantis is married to Casey DeSantis, an Emmy Award-winning television anchor. Together, they’re the proud parents of their daughters, Madison and Mamie, and their son, Mason."

Every source leaves out some things and puts in what they believe the audience will want to know that influences them. Left-leaning CBS News and U.S. News and World Report are among the media outlets that ranked Florida #1 in education.

For economic growth, Florida also ranks #1, per the sources shown below. California is a larger state with more population and a bigger economy, but illegal immigration aside, California is losing population while Florida is gaining population.

Florida and Texas are growing at a faster pace than Communist China, per sources. The video from the screen grab below is posted after the Google screen capture.

Economist Joseph Politano can explain in his own words why Texas and Florida are growing faster economically and in population (illegal immigration aside) than California and New York.

But among the factors for better economic growth in Texas and Florida are less regulations. Big Think is, per a post on Reddit, "appear to be relatively centrist evidence-based pro-science..."

Let me select an item from the left-leaning New York Times. and an apparently left-leaning video journalist named Johnny Harris. Give Harris credit, despite his left-leaning bias, he laid out some facts that ought to make Floridians smile.

Per Harris' New York Times YouTube page is the following.

"It’s easy to blame the other side. And for many Democrats, it’s obvious that Republicans are thwarting progress toward a more equal society.

But what happens when Republicans aren’t standing in the way?

In many states — including California, New York and Illinois — Democrats control all the levers of power. They run the government. They write the laws. And as we explore in the video above, they often aren’t living up to their values.

In key respects, many blue states are actually doing worse than red states. It is in the blue states where affordable housing is often hardest to find, there are some of the most acute disparities in education funding and economic inequality is increasing most quickly.

Instead of asking, “What’s the matter with Kansas?” Democrats need to spend more time pondering, “What’s the matter with California?”"

Florida is now considered to be a 'red' state. The title of Harris' post is the following.

"Liberal Hypocrisy is Fueling American Inequality. Here’s How."

So, when someone looks at Bethany Blankley's article in Part I via The Center Square. TCS' about us page said this.

"The Center Square was launched in 2019 to fulfill the need for high-quality statehouse and statewide news across the United States.

The focus of our work is state- and local-level government and economic reporting. A taxpayer sensibility distinguishes our work from other coverage of state and local issues. As a result of this approach, our readers are better informed about the focus of state and local government and its cost to the citizens whose tax dollars fund governmental decisions.

The Center Square is staffed by editors and reporters with extensive professional journalism experience. We engage readers with essential news, data and analysis – delivered with velocity, frequency and consistency."

No journalism is perfect, just as no social media or other source is perfect. But it didn't take too long to double check key facts and see that claims made by those noted herein were apparently correct. It is one of the sources I check on a routine basis.

With all that said, what is fascinating to me in the above video by Harris is this. The New York Times is a left-leaning publication that has long championed bigger government solutions. Democrats are typically the party that favor bigger government solutions. But that begs a question. Does bigger government deliver on its promises? Sadly, as Harris admitted, that answer may be 'no.'

I've followed the work of Thomas Sowell for years. His quote below about the U.S. healthcare system is revealing and logical.

There are Republicans who have supported aspects of ObamaCare. But the program was largely the creation of Democrats. What happened to all of those promises of a better, less costly health care system? We as citizens have to keep one eye on the past to see how previous promises worked out.

Early on in my series on this Patch this writer shared a post on the topic of TANSTAAFL. There Ain't No Such Thing as a Free Lunch = TANSTAAFL. Please keep that in mind the rest of your life and share that with your friends, family, and others. Why? Because it is true. Politicians, regardless of party label, that promise something for nothing are not shooting straight. Someone always pays.

https://patch.com/florida/lake...

For example. When California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) promised millions of more housing units and to end homelessness, what was the result? While there are several factors, homelessness increased. It was no surprise to those who grasp the thinking of Sowell and the truth behind TANSTAAFL. First, the de facto open borders policies of Joe Biden-Kamala Harris (D) years all but assured that homelessness would rise. Next, big government solutions routinely fail to work as promised. That's just reality.

Politicians in the U.S., or other nominally democratic nations, make promises hoping to get votes. Those promises often mask the agenda of those donors behind the politician that put him or her in office. Smiling faces and nice sounding words doesn't mean someone is your friend or ally in government.

It doesn't take a genius to realize that when the border is open that it won't be only nice honest people that would be coming into the U.S. Indeed, it finally came out in 2024 that hundreds of thousands of convicted criminals were among those illegals pouring into the U.S.

https://patch.com/florida/lakeland/fear-false-evidence-appears-real-faux-vs-authentic-reason-fear

This shouldn't be about race or any other factor. It is about reality. Immigration laws are supposed to protect the citizens of our country from allowing in citizens of another country that shouldn't be allowed in for a variety of good reasons. Trying to manipulate enough voters by saying that those opposed to letting just anyone come into the U.S. was a scam that aimed to get votes. People lie or leave out important details (half truths instead of full truth) because they want something and they don't think the truth will get it for them.

https://patch.com/florida/lake...

DeSantis and Texas' Governor Gregg Abott (R) appear to have a grasp of reality and the basics of law and order. Now, let's pivot back to what Blankley said about that Democratic lawmaker who switched parties and became Republican.

"Rep. Susan Valdés, a lifelong Democrat and Cuban-American from West Tampa, announced she was becoming a Republican. She left the Democratic Party because she “will not waste” her final two years in the state legislature “being ignored in a caucus whose leadership expects me to ignore the needs of my community.”

She said she won’t agree with her Republican colleagues on everything but wants to “roll up my sleeves and work” and “be a part of solving problems for West Tampa.”"

According to BestNeighborhood.org, much of Tampa is Democratic (in their jargon, liberal).

Rep. Valdés might as well have said that the policies of her now former Democratic Party were part of the problem instead of part of the solution.

Let's say that a different way for emphasis. Many of the problems are caused by government policies. If Valdés has learned that lesson, good for her and good for her voters too.

The Johnny Harris video is largely about housing problems. As Harris explained it, the states he looked at were Democratic dominated states. They hold the levers of power, and they are creating the policies and laws that deliver problematic results. If Florida flipped "blue" or Democratic tomorrow, and those Democratic-style California policies were implemented here, the quality of life in Florida would begin to erode.

I don't agree with Dan Bongino on everything, but he has a point when he says that Republicans may not always be the answer to your problems but Democrats are routinely the cause of the problems. Meaning big government policies often make the problem worse.

Speaking of housing, if politicians and regulators allowed the free market to rule there would be more affordable housing naturally. Citizens should be allowed to pick the kind of home that they can afford for their property. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) commissioned a study on neighborhoods where manufactured homes and conventional on site built housing existed side by side in various cities in different parts of the U.S. Both forms of construction went up in value. That should be no surprise, because years earlier another study "Not In My Back Yard" came to a very similar conclusion. The first one named Regulatory Barriers... occurred under Democrats Barack Obama-Joe Biden. The prior one called Not In My Back Yard... occurred under Republicans George H. W. Bush-Dan Quayle. Both major parties, similar research results.

There is a case to be made that there should be fewer laws that are better enforced. People should be allowed to keep the maximum amount of the money that they honestly earn. Our education system should be teaching the basics, like TANSTAAFL, reading, writing, math, authentic history, and other skills. People should be taught how to think, not what to think. Our students should learn how to think critically and analytically. That means that education must be grounded in the truth and not some politically biased agenda. Martin Luther King Jr. said it well in the quote below.

Donald Tye Jr and I happened to meet a few years ago. We shared a meal and compared notes on various topics. We came up with a joint declaration of principles that was published at the link here. One of those was TANSTAAFL (kindly pardon the typo in the graphic below).

https://www.manufacturedhomeli...

https://www.manufacturedhomeli...

https://www.manufacturedhomeli...

It would be my hope that any politician, regardless of party, puts God-given principles at the top of their list because that is how a just society is forged. To learn more, see the linked reports.

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---> L. A. “Tony” Kovach is a publisher who has earned multiple awards in history. He and his family live in a manufactured home on private property in Winter Haven, FL. He is the co-founder of Manufactured Home Living News.com (MHLivingNews.com) and Manufactured Home Pro News.com (MHProNews.com), trade publications serving segments of the manufactured home industry. Having worked in several segments of the manufactured home industry for over 3 decades, Kovach is a widely acknowledged and often praised expert on manufactured housing. ###