‘Alive and kicking’: Lori Berman, in new role as Democratic Leader, counters talk that caucus is ‘dead’

Lori Berman. Image via Florida Channel

Days after becoming Senate Democratic Leader, Lori Berman made her first remarks following an abrupt leadership change in the caucus.

She sounded a call for continued bipartisanship and a focus on government fundamentals in the waning days of the Legislative Session.

“Floridians are watching,” the Delray Beach Democrat said. “They are watching this chamber, and not for theatrics or sound bites, but for leadership — leadership that puts people first, leadership that rises above the noise and moves us forward to a shared vision for Florida’s future.”

Berman won election as Senate Democratic Leader on Thursday, within an hour of former Senate Democratic Leader Jason Pizzo’s abrupt resignation from his caucus post on the floor as he announced he would change his voter registration to “no party affiliation.” Pizzo, in a headline-making soundbite, declared the Democratic Party in Florida “dead,” but Berman countered the assertion.

“I take issue with what was said last week,” Berman said. “We are alive and kicking, passing good bills, fighting bad policy and getting appropriations for projects that impact our districts. We may not hold the majority, but we have something just as powerful: a vision rooted in fairness, in justice, in equality and in care.”

Berman made no other allusion to Pizzo, but spoke positively of Republican Senate President Ben Albritton’s leadership in the chamber.

“This Session has shown us what’s possible when we choose progress over partisanship,” Berman said.

“For the first time in a long time, thanks to President Albritton, we have witnessed a Session largely free from the divisive, headline-grabbing legislation that too often derailed genuine progress. Instead, we focused on the issues that mattered most to Floridians, protecting the environment, investing in education, prioritizing working families and improving access to health care.”

She also spoke about Democrats’ priorities as Session nears its close.

“This Session in Tallahassee, we are standing firm against bills that roll back child labor protection, fighting against efforts to ban books and censor ideas in schools,” Berman said.

“We oppose efforts to roll back the important gun safety measures passed in a bipartisan manner in the wake of the horrific Parkland school shooting. We must honor the memories of those we lost, including those at FSU recently, by continuing to prioritize public safety, not by moving backwards.”

Albritton, a Wauchula Republican, welcomed Berman as his Democratic counterpart.

“We’ve known each other for quite some time now,” Albritton said. “I’ll be the first one to say that I’m looking forward to your leadership. I look forward to working with you. You have always shown a great deal of thoughtfulness and kindness. You’ve been an incredible encourager. By the way, it’s one of your superpowers. And I, for one, am thankful that you’re going to be leading here in the chambers of the Democrats.”

Berman said the role of Democrats in the chamber was not simply to “oppose” but to “propose” policy solutions to benefit the lives of Floridians.

“Some issues should never be partisan, such as ensuring our children’s safety in school, protecting clean water, caring for our veterans, and growing our economy in the way that uplifts all Floridians, not just a few at the top,” she said. “Let’s work together where we can. Let’s disagree with respect where we must. And let’s remember we were not elected to be comfortable. We were elected to be courageous.”