Florida House Democrats gained 15 seats this election cycle, breaking the Republican supermajority in the chamber and giving Democrats new opportunities to influence the legislative process.
House Democratic Leader-Designate Christine Hunschofsky says the election results send a clear message from voters.
“This happened because we had amazing candidates stepping up to the plate, everyday people who said what they were seeing was no longer acceptable and wanting to make a difference," she said.
With Republicans no longer holding a two-thirds majority in the House, Hunschofsky says Democrats will have more influence over legislative procedures and bipartisan negotiations.
“Whether it's waiving the rules, how Constitutional amendments getting on the ballot, veto overrides; those things all require two-thirds vote. Additionally, when the margins are closer, there are issues that are very bipartisan issues that are important to people back home, and that makes with us having more numbers, it makes it important that on those really important bipartisan issues that we all come together and that our caucus also has a seat at the table," she said.
Hunschofsky says her caucus is now looking at how to strategically use its additional seats to its advantage when lawmakers return to Tallahassee.
Florida's next legislative session is set to begin March 2.
