Rep. Susan Valdés landed a plumb committee post just days after announcing she had changed her party affiliation from Democrat to Republican.
It's a safe bet that had Valdés remained a Democrat, she wouldn't have been named Vice Chair of the powerful House Budget Committee, formerly known as Appropriations.
The Tampa Democrat-turned Republican was also named to the Education and Employment Committee and to subcommittees for Government Operations, Education Administration, Industries and Professional Activities, and Insurance and Banking.
That's more committees than most Democrats landed. No Democrats were named to committee leadership.
Valdés announced last week that she had swapped parties. She said in her announcement that Democratic leadership -- she didn't name names, but Rep. Fentrice Driskell is the House Democratic Leader -- expected her to "ignore the needs" of her community. Valdés claimed she had been ignored and said joining the Republican Party -- and thus serving from the supermajority -- would allow her to better serve her constituents.
The move has been met with extreme consternation from Democrats, including numerous calls to resign, since she was just re-elected to her Tampa-based House District 64 seat as a Democrat. But her reasoning appears to be paying off. As Vice Chair of the Budget Committee, Valdés will play a key leadership role in determining what gets heard before the committee and possibly what gets funded in the state budget.
Valdés has secured one of the top committee posts among House members in the Tampa Bay area, with only Rep. Lawrence McClure, who represents House District 68 in East Hillsborough County, having more powerful assignments. McClure will serve as the No. 1 ahead of Valdés on the Budget Committee, and he'll be the Alternating Chair for the Joint Legislative Budget Commission, a key position that allows the House and Senate to reconcile budget priorities.
Linda Chaney, whose House District 61 covers much of the Pinellas County Beaches, will chair the Government Operations Subcommittee and co-chair the State Administration Budget Subcommittee. Chaney was also named to the Health and Human Services and State Affairs Committees, as well as the Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee.
Rep. Berny Jacques, who represents House District 59 in mid-Pinellas County, will chair the Careers and Workforce Subcommittee. Jacques was also named to the Education and Employment Committee, and subcommittees for Criminal Justice, Insurance and Banking, and Justice Budget. He'll also serve on the Security and Threat Assessment Special Committee.
Other members representing parts of the Tampa Bay area received some important posts, too.
House District 58 Rep. Kim Berfield, whose district includes parts of West and North Pinellas, will serve as the Whip for the Education and Employment Committee. She was also named to subcommittees for Careers and Workforce, Civil Justice and Claims, Student Academic Success, and Transportation and Economic Development Budget, a hearty list of committee assignments.
Rep. Randy Maggard, of House District 54 in parts of Pasco County, will serve as Whip for the State Affairs Committee. He'll also serve on subcommittees for Health Professions and Programs, Natural Resources and Disasters, and Transportation and Economic Development Budget.
House District 66 Rep. Traci Koster, who represents parts of Hillsborough County, wasn't named to any committee leadership positions, but will serve on the Budget and Judiciary Committees, as well as subcommittees for Civil Justice and Claims, Justice Budget, and Careers and Workforce.
Likewise, Rep. Michael Owen, whose House District 70 includes parts of Hillsborough and Manatee counties, won't hold any committee leadership posts. But he'll serve on the Judiciary Committee and subcommittees for Civil Justice and Claims, Human Services, State Administration Budget, and Student Academic Success.
Democrats in the region have sparse assignments.
Rep. Michele Rayner, who is running in 2026 for Senate, was named to the Budget and Commerce Committees and subcommittees for Civil Justice and Claims, Justice Budget, and Natural Resources and Disasters.
Rep. Lindsay Cross, who was a rare success story for Democrats in the 2024 election cycle, was named to the State Affairs Committee and subcommittees for Housing, Agriculture and Tourism; Information Technology Budget and Policy; Natural Resources and Disasters; and Transportation and Economic Development Budget.
Driskell will serve only on the Budget Committee and the Security and Threat Assessment Special Committee.
Rep. Dianne Hart will serve on the Health and Human Services and Ways and Means Committees, as well as subcommittees for Criminal Justice, Insurance and Banking, and Transportation and Economic Development Budget. She was also named to the Rules and Ethics Special Committee.