Eleanor Sobel  Eleanor Sobel (born February 11, 1946) is a Democratic member of the Florida State Senate, representing the 33rd District, which includes Davie, Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, and Pembroke Pines in southeastern Broward County, since 2012, previously representing the 31st District from 2008 to 2012. Before winning election to the Florida Senate, Sobel served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 100th District from 1998 to 2002 and the 99th District from 2002 to 2006. Sobel was born in Brooklyn, New York, and attended Brooklyn College, graduating with a degree in history in 1967. She then attended the City University of New York, where she received a master's degree in social studies education in 1968, and Columbia University, receiving a master's degree in learning disabilities in 1975. In 1976, Sobel moved to Florida, where she worked as a school teacher and a community activist, working on the campaigns of mayoral candidate Mara Giulanti and City Commission candidate Kenneth A. Gottlieb, who would later go on to serve in the Florida House of Representatives with Sobel. When Suzanne Gunzburger resigned from the Hollywood City Commission following her election to the Broward County Commission, Sobel's unique approach through more than 1,000 signatures supporting her appointment was a first time approach to an open appointed seat and was elected by the City Commission to replace Gunzburger on November 20, 1992. Sobel served as Vice Mayor of Hollywood from 1996-1997. Until 1998, she served on the City Commission when she was narrowly defeated for re-election by former Mayor Sal Oliveri by just 139 votes. In light of her defeat, she remarked, "I look out there and I see people who have worked together, a city that has moved forward in four years. We tried our best. These things happen." When incumbent State Representative Fred Lippman declined to seek another term in 1998, Sobel ran to succeed him in the 100th District, which included Hallandale Beach and Hollywood in southern Broward County. She faced Arthur Palamara, Mike Mallor, and Doria Bonham-Yeaman in the Democratic primary, which also served as the general election because no other candidates filed, and a contentious election, largely between Sobel and Palamara, soon followed. Sobel campaigned on reducing class sizes, providing funding for pre-school programs, reforming HMO practices, providing health care for the working poor, and reducing crime by increasing victims' rights and expanding after-school programs and neighborhood crime watch organizations.