"[2] 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.

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.

[3] In the end, Sobel defeated her opponents to win her party's nomination, receiving 53% of the vote to Palamara's 42%, Bonham-Yeaman's 3%, and Mallor's 2%.

[6] When State Senator Steven Geller was unable to seek re-election, Sobel ran to succeed him in the 31st District, which was based in Broward County, and submitted her resignation from the School Board.

The Sun-Sentinel endorsed her for re-election, calling her "a strong voice in Tallahassee for education, health care issues and senior citizens' services.

Sobel served as a champion for elderly reform through improving the practices and procedures for assisted living facilities (ALF).

She successfully passed the Victoria Q. Gaetz (Wife of Senate President Don Gaetz) Greyhound Protection Act in the Florida Senate that would report greyhound injuries (current law limits reporting of deaths) but the bill died in the Florida House of Representatives.

[18][19] Sobel currently contributes to the Sun Sentinel South Florida 100 influential leaders opinion panel on issues of importance.