Florida State Rep. Hillary Cassel becomes second Democrat to turn Republican since 2024 elections
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.
https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/florida-house-democrat-hillary-cassel-switches-to-republican/Open linkView original on lemmy.world
17 replies
"Progressive extremism"? Does anyone understand what progressivism is? What did she want done in Israel? Total elimination of the Palestinians?
In America it's extreme to oppose the indiscriminate killing of civilians.
I've heard that term several times from some bothsiderists that were making excuses to not vote, or vote Republican, claiming both sides are "so extreme" now.
I asked for examples of how Democrats are "too extreme". It usually boils down to trans or how people were protesting Israel's treatment of Gaza. Probing deeper on actual policy, it really came down to a bunch of nothing.
I get the same type of answers. I really don't understand their positions on either topic.
This should automatically result in impeachment. Representative democracy only works with good faith representatives.
It should be fuckin criminal, and result in automatic and immediate new election.
Republicans are literally running fake democrats to steal power from democratic voters to further their fascistic agendas.
It is a dire assault on our democracy, with the same level of threat and danger, that Jan 6ers represented, but far more subtle and far less prone to triggering the massive outrage that it should.
"Vote Blue No Matter Who"
Is your suggestion that people vote in the cancelled election differently? Even if there was an R to vote for, should they have voted for the outright R instead of being tricked?
No, vote for people representing your own values, not based on team. Neither the dnc or gop have any workers interests or values. Vote blue no matter who is as fascist and doomed to fail as any other anti democratic nonsense.
It's a false dichotomy between values and being strategic. Doing both requires flexibility of action.
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.
None of the viable candidates on the ballot were people that completely represented my values in virtually any election I've voted in. Indeed, I suspect some of my values are a small enough minority of the country that they simply do not stand a chance at winning democratically without a major shift in the opinions of the general population.
"Vote blue no matter who" isn't really literal, in the the sense that I wouldn't vote for a republican if somehow one actually reflecting what I think was actually running. It's a heuristic, reflecting the fact that the dems have throughout my lifetime consistently been closer to my views than the Rs however slightly and really only useful in cases like obscure downballot races where I am unable to locate much information about what the candidates actually want but must still try to determine which is preferable without real information about them.
Nobody even got to vote for this person this election cycle, that's why your comment doesn't fit in this discussion. You just went off on an unrelated talking point. This is a result of different failures of the democratic process than what you're trying to start the discussion about.
You saved Palestine!
That you think that's what going on is why the Democrats will never stop this country from descending into fascism.