Another Democratic state lawmaker from Florida is joining the Republican party

Cassel’s announcement Friday follows one earlier this month by Rep. Susan Valdés of Tampa, who was re-elected as a Democrat in November but said she is “tired of being the party that protests.”

Florida Republicans have controlled the governor’s office and both branches of the Legislature since 1999. With Cassel’s replacement, Republicans will expand their supermajority to an 87-33 margin over Democrats in the House.

Once the nation’s first swing state, Florida has drifted to the right in recent years. Susan MacManus, professor emeritus of political science at the University of South Florida, said the party switch is an indication of how little power Democrats hold under a decades-long Republican trifecta.

“Democrats have failed to ensure that they escape the supermajority. So what choice do they really have?” MacManus said.

Kate Payne is a member of The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercover issues.