Kathleen Passidomo

Kathleen C. Passidomo (born May 19, 1953) is an American lawyer and politician currently serving as President of the Florida Senate. A Republican, she has represented the 28th district, which includes Collier, Hendry, and part of Lee County in Southwest Florida, since 2016. She previously served three terms in the Florida House of Representatives, representing the Naples area from 2010 to 2016. She served as majority leader from 2018 to 2020.[1]

Kathleen Passidomo
President of the Florida Senate
Assumed office
November 22, 2022
Preceded byWilton Simpson
Majority Leader of the Florida Senate
In office
November 26, 2018 – November 23, 2020
Preceded byWilton Simpson
Succeeded byDebbie Mayfield
Member of the Florida Senate
from the 28th district
Assumed office
November 8, 2016
Preceded byRedistricted
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
In office
November 2, 2010 – November 8, 2016
Preceded byTom Grady
Succeeded byBob Rommel
Constituency76th district (2010–2012)
106th district (2012–2016)
Personal details
Born (1953-05-19) May 19, 1953
Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseJohn Passidomo
Children3
EducationTrinity Washington University (BA)
Stetson University (JD)

Passidomo was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, and attended Trinity Washington University in Washington, D.C., graduating with a Bachelor's degree in 1975, and later graduated from the Stetson University College of Law with a J.D. degree in 1978 after moving to the state of Florida in 1976. She has resided in Naples since 1979. She entered into private law practice and is a founding partner of the law firm of Kelly, Passidomo & Alba LLP.

Florida House of Representatives

In 2010, when incumbent Republican State Representative Tom Grady declined to seek another term in the legislature, Passidomo ran to succeed him in the 76th District, which stretched from Naples Park to Chokoloskee on the western coast of Collier County. She won both the Republican primary and the general election entirely unopposed.

Following the reconfiguration of legislative districts in 2012, Passidomo was moved into the 106th District, which included most of the territory that she had previously represented in Collier County. In the Republican primary, she was opposed by David Bolduc, whom she easily defeated with 73% of the vote. Advancing to the general election, Passidomo faced Libertarian candidate Peter Richter, whom she defeated in a landslide, winning her second term in the legislature with 79% of the vote.

While in the legislature, Passidomo spoke out in favor of legislation authored by Florida House of Representatives Hazelle P. Rogers in 2011 that required school districts to "adopt a dress code that prohibits students from 'wearing clothing that exposes underwear or body parts in an indecent or vulgar manner. "She was dressed like a 21-year-old prostitute... [Students should] show up in proper attire" Passidomo about the 11-year-old gang raped by 18 men in Texas.[2] In 2013, she authored legislation that would expedite the foreclosure process in the state of Florida, which would "[shorten] the period of time banks can collect losses from five years to one."[3]

Florida Senate

In 2016, Passidomo ran for the Florida Senate, District 28 seat vacated by Garrett Richter, who was term limited. She defeated state representative Matt Hudson in the Republican primary, 58% to 42%, and faced only write-in candidates in the general election.[4]

Passidomo was re-elected to a second term on November 6, 2018, after facing no primary challenger and winning 65% of the vote in the general election.[5]

Passidomo is one of the founders of Maggie's List.[6]

In 2020 she was an elector for Donald Trump.[7]

References
  1. Berman, Dave. "Sen. Debbie Mayfield named Florida Senate majority leader". Florida Today. Retrieved Mar 20, 2021.
  2. Tillman, Jodie (March 15, 2011). "'Sagging pants' bill passes House committee". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  3. Buzzacco-Foerster, Jenna (April 29, 2013). "Foreclosure bill rolls through state House". Naples Daily News. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  4. Mills, Ryan; Sarkissian, Arek (2016-08-30). "Voters choose Kathleen Passidomo to replace Sen. Garrett Richter". Naples Daily News. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
  5. "Florida State Senate District 28". Ballotpedia. Retrieved Mar 20, 2021.
  6. "Maggie's List. Women's Political Action Committee. Who is Maggie's List?". Maggieslist.org. Archived from the original on 2015-06-20. Retrieved 2015-06-13.
  7. "As expected, electors cast Florida's 29 votes for Trump". News 4 Jax. 2020-12-13. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
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