Jacob Ogles
Sen. Kathleen Passidomo knows who she wants to succeed her in the Senate.
The Naples Republican endorsed Rep. Lauren Melo less than 24 hours after Melo filed to run in Senate District 28.
“During her time in the Florida House, Lauren Melo has been an outstanding partner to advance the priorities of Southwest Florida in the Legislature,” Passidomo said.
“She cares genuinely about the communities we represent, especially the most vulnerable. Her deep-rooted conservative values and hard work ethic make Lauren Melo the best candidate for Florida Senate District 28, and I am proud to endorse her campaign.”
Passidomo, a former Senate President, cannot run for re-election because of term limits. Melo first won election to the House in 2020 and just won election in November to a third term.
Like Melo, Passidomo served in the House before running for Senate. The outgoing Senator first won election to the House in 2010, then won her seat in the Senate in 2016. She presided over the upper chamber in the 2022-2024 legislative term.
The support for Melo could prove critical in what could be one of the most expensive Republican Primaries in Florida in the 2026 election cycle. Melo faces former Rep. Bob Rommel, a Naples Republican who already has amassed a substantial amount for the race. Rommel and Melo both served together in the House the last two terms, each representing a sizable part of the Senate district, which covers all of Collier and Hendry counties and southeast Lee County.
Next year’s Republican Primary will likely determine who follows Passidomo into the Senate. More than 65% of voters in the district in 2024 supported Republican Donald Trump for President, with less than 34% supporting Democrat Kamala Harris, according to MCI Maps.
That largely aligns with the district’s deep shade of red. More than half the district’s voters are registered to the GOP, while fewer than 22% are Democrats, according to the most recent L2 voter data.
