Democrat Todd Delmay defeated incumbent Hillary Cassel in Florida House District 101, reclaiming a Broward County seat that became a flashpoint after Cassel switched parties.

Cassel, elected twice as a Democrat, joined the Republican Party shortly after the 2024 election. Her decision angered Democrats in a district they considered a stronghold and reinforced the GOP’s supermajority in Tallahassee.

Delmay, a gay man, made trust and accountability central to his challenge, accusing Cassel of abandoning the voters who elected her.

Thanking supporters after his win, Delmay called the result “a mandate for authenticity, openness, and keeping your word,” Florida Politics reported.

Joe Saunders, who first met Cassel at a Dolphin Democrats event, said before the election that he could spend considerable time discussing her “betrayals” of Democratic and LGBTQ voters. Instead, he preferred to focus on Delmay’s experience.

“I spend more time talking about what I think Tallahassee’s going to be like with Todd Delmay in that seat. When Todd wins, he doesn’t start learning how to do that job,” Saunders said. “He’s been doing it for 20 years in this state.”

Cassel defended her switch, citing disagreements with Democrats over the party’s direction and its stance on Israel and the war in Gaza. She maintained her support for abortion access and LGBTQ rights.

House District 101 was a prime target in Democrats’ successful effort to break the Republican supermajority in the Florida House, which the GOP had held since 2022. Democrats won at least 49 seats, exceeding the 41 needed.