JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<a class="ajaxFormDialog" href="#">replaced link</a>
<br />
<a class="anotherlink" href="#">another link</a>

CSS

a, .ajaxFormDialog {
    color: orange;
    text-decoration: underline;
    cursor: hand;
}

a:hover, .ajaxFormDialog:hover {
    background: orange;
    color: white;
    
}

JavaScript

var genericHandler = function(e) {
    var el = $(e.target);
    var href = el.data('href');
    //extract data
    console.log('clicked span: ',el, ' with stored href: ', href);
    //do stuff here
};

$('a.ajaxFormDialog').replaceWith(function(){
    var el = $(this);
    console.log('replacing element: ', el);
    return $("<span>").addClass('ajaxFormDialog').append($(this).contents()).
        data('href', el.attr('href')). //you can store other data as well
        click(genericHandler);
});