The Florida State Senate has 40 members elected from districts across the state, and as of mid-2026 Republicans hold 28 seats, Democrats hold 11, and one senator sits as an independent. The chamber is led by Senate President Ben Albritton, a Republican from Wauchula who represents District 27.1Florida Senate. Office of the President The current term has been reshaped by four mid-term vacancies, a party switch at the top of the Democratic caucus, and a special election that flipped a Republican seat.
Who Leads the Florida Senate
Albritton was elected by his colleagues to a two-year term as president. The job carries real power: the president sets the chamber’s agenda, presides over floor sessions, appoints members to standing committees, selects committee chairs, and chooses a majority leader.1Florida Senate. Office of the President Albritton is closely associated with Florida’s agriculture industry and has described himself as “a sinner saved by grace.”2WFSU News. Florida Senate President Ben Albritton’s Opening Day of Session Remarks
The rest of the leadership team for the 2024–2026 term:
- President Pro Tempore: Jason Brodeur
- Majority Leader: Jim Boyd
- Democratic Minority Leader: Lori Berman
Berman took over as minority leader after Jason Pizzo resigned the post when he left the Democratic Party in April 2025.3Florida Senate. Senators4Florida Politics. Jason Pizzo Switches to NPA, Resigns as Democratic Leader
Senate Republicans have already picked Boyd to succeed Albritton as president after the November 2026 elections. Boyd is a 68-year-old insurance executive from Bradenton who represents District 20. His grandfather and uncle both served in the state legislature, and he came to the Senate in 2020 after eight years in the Florida House.5WLRN. Jim Boyd Backed to Become Florida Senate President
How the Chamber Breaks Down by Party
Republicans hold a 28-seat supermajority. Democrats hold 11 seats. One senator, Jason Pizzo, sits as an independent after re-registering with no party affiliation in April 2025. Pizzo, who had been Senate Democratic Leader, said at the time that “the Democratic Party in Florida is dead,” pointing to collapsed fundraising, internal hostility toward his centrist positions, and a lack of clear direction. He said he wanted to represent Florida’s nearly 3.7 million independent voters. Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried called the move an “embarrassing temper tantrum.” Pizzo was the third Democratic lawmaker to leave the party in Florida within six months.6Florida Phoenix. Pizzo Says Democratic Party in Florida Is Dead, Will Become an Independent7WLRN. Jason Pizzo, Democrats, Florida
The 40 districts were drawn after the 2020 census. The current maps were approved in early 2022 and upheld by the Florida Supreme Court that March.8Florida Senate. Redistricting A federal challenge alleging racial gerrymandering in the Tampa Bay area was rejected in August 2025 by a three-judge panel, which found that the plaintiffs had not proved racial considerations overrode neutral redistricting criteria.9Spectrum News 13. Federal Judges Uphold Florida Senate District Map
Recent Changes to the Roster
Four senators left before their terms ended during the 2024–2026 session. Three were Republicans who resigned to take other government posts, and one was a Democrat who died in office. Each departure triggered a special election.
District 19 — Debbie Mayfield (R) replaced Randy Fine
Randy Fine resigned effective March 31, 2025, to run for Congress in Florida’s 6th District, a seat opened when U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz became President Trump’s National Security Advisor. Fine won the congressional race on April 1, 2025.10Florida Today. Ahrens, Mayfield Are Candidates in Florida Senate Special Election11Florida Politics. Debbie Mayfield to Return to Senate After SD 19 Special Election Victory12CF Public Media. Brevard Republicans Win Special Election
District 15 — LaVon Bracy Davis (D) replaced Geraldine Thompson
Geraldine “Geri” Thompson died on February 13, 2025, at age 76, from complications following knee-replacement surgery. She had served in the Florida Legislature for more than 15 years across stints in both chambers and was widely remembered as a civil rights leader, an educator, and the founder of the Wells’Built Museum of African American History and Culture in Orlando. Governor DeSantis ordered flags flown at half-staff throughout Orange County in her honor.13WSLS. Florida Lawmakers Honor the Trailblazing Legacy of Late State Sen. Geraldine Thompson14Florida Governor. Memorandum Flags Half-Staff in Honor of Senator Geraldine Thompson State Representative LaVon Bracy Davis, endorsed by the Thompson family, won the Democratic primary and now holds the District 15 seat.15MCI Maps. The Democratic Primary3Florida Senate. Senators
District 11 — Ralph Massullo (R) replaced Blaise Ingoglia
Blaise Ingoglia resigned on July 21, 2025, after being appointed Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, filling a vacancy left when Jimmy Patronis departed that post to run for Congress. In the special election that followed, Republican Ralph Massullo, a physician, defeated Democrat Ash Marwah with 59% of the vote in one of the state’s safest Republican districts.16WUSF. Massullo Defeats Marwah in State Senate District 11 Special Election17Florida Chamber of Commerce. Florida Chamber of Commerce Endorses Dr. Ralph Massullo in Senate District 11 Special Election
District 14 — Brian Nathan (D) replaced Jay Collins
Jay Collins resigned on August 12, 2025, after Governor DeSantis chose him as Lieutenant Governor, replacing Jeanette Nunez, who had left to become president of Florida International University.18WUSF. Florida Senate District 14 Special Election Candidates The March 2026 special election produced the term’s biggest upset. Democrat Brian Nathan, a Navy veteran and union electrician serving as vice president of IBEW Local 915, beat Republican State Representative Josie Tomkow by 408 votes. Nathan won despite being dramatically outspent; Tomkow had access to more than $460,000 between her campaign and political committee, while Nathan raised less than $65,000. The margin fell just outside automatic recount territory, and both candidates are expected on the ballot again in November 2026.19Florida Politics. Brian Nathan Edges Out Josie Tomkow in SD 14
How Senators Are Elected and How Long They Serve
Florida senators serve four-year terms and are subject to an eight-year lifetime limit per chamber. That cap comes from the “Eight is Enough” constitutional amendment, approved by 77% of voters in 1992.20Florida Phoenix. Is Eight Enough? Sitting and Former Lawmakers Debate Term Limits in the Legislature A February 2025 Florida Supreme Court ruling added an exception: a gap in service lets a previously term-limited legislator run again, which is how Debbie Mayfield returned to District 19.
The pay is modest. Rank-and-file senators earn roughly $29,697 a year, a figure unchanged since 2010, plus per diem of at least $150 per day during session for food, lodging, and travel.21WUFT. How Much Florida Lawmakers Make Each Session The Senate president earns somewhat more. Members also receive a monthly allowance for a district office and constituent services, set each year by the president, and they are not paid extra for special sessions.22Florida Legislature. Section 11.13, Florida Statutes
Florida State Senators Versus U.S. Senators
The 40 members of the Florida State Senate are not the same as Florida’s two U.S. senators in Washington. State senators work in Tallahassee and handle state legislation, the state budget, and state constitutional matters. Florida’s current federal senators include Rick Scott, a Republican who has served since 2019.23Congress.gov. Rick Scott If you’re trying to contact your representative about a state law, a state budget item, or a district-level issue, your state senator is the one to look up on the Florida Senate’s member directory.