Florida lawmakers return to Tallahassee, set tone for upcoming legislative session

TALLAHASSEE -- On the first day that Florida lawmakers returned to Tallahassee, without crowds and with masks, legislators immediately confronted the two approaches to dealing with the nation’s divided and polarized electorate.

In the Florida Senate, losing Democrats welcomed their rival Republicans in a courtly ceremony in the old Capitol where they elected Lighthouse Point Sen. Gary Farmer as the next leader of their caucus.

And in the Florida House of Representatives, a triumphant Republican caucus cheered their election-year wins with a chest-thumping victory speech and a gift of team jerseys from newly elected Speaker Chris Sprowls.

As incoming Senate President Wilton Simpson of Trilby and other Republicans watched, Farmer said he plans to lead the Senate Democratic caucus by remaining true to their principles and hoping to work across the aisle with their Republican counterparts in the chamber.

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