Post #168, Bob McKnight's Florida Commentary
I first met Ron Book at a Young Democrats meeting in Miami Dade County 50 years ago.
Florida State Senator Lauren Book of Broward County was elected to lead the Democrats in the upper chamber, taking the seat immediately in Tallahassee, after winning the coveted seat for 2022-2024. She had previously indicated an interest in running state wide for a seat in the Cabinet, but will now abandon those plans. She decided on running for Majority Leader when then elected Sen. Thurston decided to run for the vacant seat in Congress, previously held by the late Alcee Hastings. Then, a dispute arose involving sitting Minority Leader Gary Farmer (D., Broward) and the Caucus voted unanimously to place Book in as Minority Leader immediately. The tensions in the Senate among the Democrats were well known in Tallahassee. Book was first elected to the Senate in 2016 and has been re-elected since then.
Senator Book represents the part of Broward County that includes Marjory Stoneman Douglas public school, and she has made protection of children and education her priority since her first election. She is expected to be a formidable leader of the Democrats who have dwindled to only 16 members which is 40% of the total Senate.
It is no secret that Senator Book's parents are proud of her achievements. In particular, her Father, Ron Book, who is one of Tallahassee's longest serving and most powerful lobbyists. I first met Ron Book at a Young Democrats meeting in Miami Dade County 50 years ago. But, I really got to know her Father before he started law school and working as a legislative aide to the late State Representative Alan Becker of Miami. He and my aide in the House of Representatives, Ellison Shapiro became close friends. Ron moved on to work as a senior aide to Governor and then U.S. Senator Bob Graham in Washington. Book returned to Tallahassee to start what would become a legendary lobbying and law practice.
Senator Lauren Book brings a lot of knowledge, experience, and clout to the Democratic Party in the Florida Senate--hers and her family.