Sheila Kuehl
When Kuehl was elected as a Democrat to the California Assembly in 1994 a Republican majority was seated for the first time in 20 years. This was due largely as an out-flowing of the enthusiasm stoked up by Newt Gingrich's strategy supporting Republicans for the Federal Legislature. Kuehl recalled "The Republican majority was quite a different kind of Republican, not a moderate, not a Rockefeller Republican. They were primarily Bible-thumpers and very right-wing. So it was not the most welcoming Republican group, though they loved Zelda Gilroy, and it was very difficult for them because they already liked me so much…. And to their surprise, we all got along very well. ...The Republicans were pretty horrible about LGBT stuff. They all virtually said stuff like, 'Well, they're all spawn of the devil, oh, but not you, Sheila….'"
Seth McKeel
Following the reconfiguration of legislative districts in 2012, McKeel was drawn into the 40th District, which was based entirely in Polk County and included most of metropolitan Lakeland. He won the nomination of his party unopposed and advanced to the general election, where he was opposed by independent candidate Lillian Lima. His opponent largely campaigned on replacing most politicians with fresher faces, while McKeel defended his record, noting, "I ran my first campaign on my vision for my hometown and a deeply rooted belief in limited government and fiscal conservatism. That record is very public, and I am proud of it." Ultimately, McKeel turned away Lima's challenge, winning election to his final term in the legislature with 64% of the vote.