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Fun Senate Facts
- 1st African-American Senator since Reconstruction:
- Arnett E. Girardeau, District 7, Jacksonville, Democrat 1982-1992
- 1st African-American Woman Senator:
- Carrie P. Meek, District 36, Miami, Democrat 1982-1992
- Number of African-American Senators during Reconstruction (1868-1887):
- 18
- 1st Woman Senator:
- Beth Johnson, District 19, Orlando, Democrat, 1962-1967
- 1st Woman Senate President:
- Gwen Margolis, District 37, North Miami Beach, Democrat, 1990-1992
- 1st Hispanic Senator:
- Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, District 34, Dade County, Republican, 1986-1989
- Youngest known Senate President:
- John L. Doggett (1827) age 29
- Park M. Trammell (1905) age 29
- Oldest known Senate President:
- William A. Shands (1957) age 68
- Senator with highest number of years served:
- Scott Dilworth Clarke 1931-1966; Total-36 years, 34 sessions
- Youngest Senator Elected (modern records):
- Dennis J. Patrick O'Grady, Republican, elected in 1967, 23 years old
- Number of Senators elected as Governor of Florida since the Constitution was revised in 1968:
- 4
Additional Facts
- Toni Jennings, the second woman to serve as Senate President, was the first to serve two consecutive terms as President (1996-1998; 1998-2000), and later became the first female Lieutenant Governor of the State of Florida (3/7/2003-2006).
- During the 1992-1994 legislative term, Senators Ander Crenshaw (Republican) and Pat Thomas (Democrat) split the Senate Presidency. Each senator served one year as President. This was due to an even split in the number of Republicans and Democrats for that term .
- Instances of family members serving together within the Legislature include: Senator Don Gaetz (2006-present) and son, Representative Matt Gaetz (2010-present); and Senator Larcenia Bullard (2002-present), her husband, Representative Edward B. Bullard (2000- 2008), and her son, Representative Dwight M. Bullard (2008-present).
- For five months in 1967, there were two Senators named Beth Johnson serving together in the Senate.
Florida Geographic Facts
- Total area - 58,560 square miles
- Total land area - 54,136 square miles
- Total water area - 4,424 square miles
- Rank among states in total area - 22nd
- Length north and south - 447 miles (St. Marys River to Key West)
- Width east and west - 361 miles (Atlantic Ocean to Perdido River)
- Distance from Pensacola to Key West - 792 miles (by road)
- Highest natural point - 345 feet, near Lakewood in Walton County
- Geographic center - 12 miles northwest of Brooksville, Hernando County
- Coastline - 1,197 statute miles
- Tidal shoreline (general) - 2,276 statute miles
- Number of Islands or "Keys:" 882
- Longest river - St. Johns, approximately 273 miles
- Largest lake - Lake Okeechobee, 700 square miles
- Largest county - Palm Beach, 2,578 square miles
- Smallest county - Union, 245 square miles
- Number of natural fresh-water lakes (10 square miles or more) - 19
- Number of first-magnitude springs - 27
