Jason Delgado
Senate President Wilton Simpson remains in good spirits Friday after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier this week, Senate spokeswoman Katie Betta announced.
Simpson tested positive for the virus Sunday night and was forced to miss Florida’s Electoral College vote and a pre-Session briefing with reporters. The media briefing is a holiday tradition.
“We were disappointed to have to cancel our traditional holiday media availability and breakfast earlier this week, but President Simpson is recovering well, feeling great these last couple of days, and really looking forward to seeing you all in the new year,” Betta wrote in an email.
The Trilby Republican was tapped last month to lead the Florida Senate for the next two years.
He notified Gov. Ron DeSantis of the positive test results in a Monday letter.
“As a result of this positive test, it is with great regret that I inform you I will not be able to attend today’s meeting of Florida’s Presidential Electors,” Simpson wrote. “It was a great honor to be selected to serve our state in this historic capacity, and I was very much looking forward to casting my vote for President Trump and Vice President Pence. The Senate is honored to host the meeting of Florida’s Presidential Electors in our chamber, and my staff remains available to assist as needed.”
Simpson, who has advocated for the use of face masks, experienced “mild symptoms” early on. Betta described Simpson’s symptoms as similar to experiencing a mild head cold or allergies.
Senate staff members who had contact with Simpson last week were tested “out of an abundance of caution,” Betta added.
She said, “everyone was negative.”
While some other Republican leaders have taken more-cavalier approaches to COVID-19, Simpson has adopted more stringent protocols for senators and staff to try to reduce the spread of the highly contagious virus.
The Senate is set to meet for committee weeks on Jan. 11.
