Reactions to Florida Representative Susan Valdes' switch over to Republican Party vary

Representative Susan Valdes of Tampa announced Monday she would be switching to the Republican Party.

Representative Valdes has served West Tampa since 2018. Before that, she served on the Hillsborough County Public School Board. She says she's been a lifelong Democrat, coming from a family of Democrats.

But in her post to X, formerly known as Twitter, she makes it clear that she doesn't feel supported or seen in the Democratic Party.

One part of the letter reads, "In the House, I have long known that no one has a monopoly on good ideas. I will not waste my final two years in the Florida Legislature being ignored in a caucus whose leadership expects me to ignore the needs of my community."

So the big question is: What do her constituents think? I went out around West Tampa on Tuesday to hear from them. Most didn't have an opinion or much of a desire to hear what was going on. But I did find two men with differing opinions on the matter.

Emmanuel Ekwealor- Against her decision

Emmanuel Ekwealor has already heard the news, and had read the letter when I talked to him Tuesday morning. As I said Representative Valdes' name, he immediately called her decision nonsense.

"They are trying to turn Florida into a one political party state, which is not acceptable in America. This is a democracy. We have to diversify the spectrum of political thinking," he said.

Ekwealor is a U.S. Citizen but was born and raised in Nigeria. He says a move like this wouldn't fly in his native country.

"She did it for her own personal benefit. As far as I'm concerned," he said. "In Nigeria, it's called political prostitution. I don't care how she sees it. I don't care what she thinks about it. You have to consult your constituency before you take a measure, this is a serious measure, step. She's a buyout or sell-out, whatever English you want to use. You know that's not fair."

He put a strong focus on the idea of going against the political party of the people who just re-elected Valdes a month ago.

"The Democrats voted you into power, which gave you the seat where you are today, and then you are using that position at high elevation, at that upper echelon, to do what? To skip to the next party where you think you are now. The reason she gave was that she wants to stay where she can be able to work with the Republicans, so that they can get things done. What about we people that put you in. You don't have to tell us our political affiliation because we voted you based on belief that Democrats are for the poor people, that Republicans are for the rich people, and now she's joining the rich people and then leave us behind," he said.

Eric Kiser- Supportive of her decision

Eric Kiser sees it in a different light.

"I can see where people are staunch one side or the other, and they voted one way. But again, for me, I try to just go down the middle, make right decisions. I'm liberal in some aspects, but I'm conservative in others," he said.

Kiser doesn't see the big deal with a political flip. He feels that right now, politics can be a little too one way or the other.

"I think that'll make the world go around a little bit better," he said.

Kiser himself doesn't belong to either party.

"I'm registered Independent. I lean a little bit right, but it doesn't really matter to me. I'd rather just have people use common sense, do the right thing, not worry about their agendas," he said. "I would just say common sense. It doesn't matter that much to me."

He says what will matter to him is how her individual votes and commitment to West Tampa play out over the next two years.

Eliseo Santana

I also reached out to community advocates who have worked closely with Valdes in the past.

Eliseo Santana was the only one to respond to me.

I met Eliseo while covering an event involving the two last year.

He says he hasn't spoken to her directly about her motivations to switch parties.

He sent me this statement: