Rep. Lauren Melo Thanks Passidomo for SD 28 Endorsement

House Republican Lauren Melo (R-Naples) thanked former Senate President Kathleen Passidomo after she endorsed Melo for her Senate District 28 on Saturday.

"I am humbled by former Senate President Kathleen Passidomo’s endorsement of my candidacy for Senate District 28. She has served our community with strength, and leaves behind an impactful legacy. I am grateful for her trust in me to lead District 28," Melo said.

The remark comes after Lauren Melo announced her candidacy for SD 28 last Thursday. Kathleen Passidomo holds the seat but is ineligible to run in 2026 due to term limits.

Passidomo has been in the Florida Legislature for 15 years. She first served in the House in 2010 before being elected to the Senate in 2016.

She also was Senate President for the 2022-2024 term before giving up the gavel to current Senate President Ben Albritton.

Melo currently represents House District 82 which includes part of Collier County. She was reelected for a third term in HD 82 with nearly 70% of the vote in November.

SD 28 covers a similar area including Collier and Hendry counties and part of Lee County in Southwest Florida.

According to her website, Melo describes herself as a "conservative Republican who fights to protect our Second Amendment rights, honor our veterans, cut bureaucratic red tape, and grow the economy."

Born in Southwest Florida, Melo has spent decades as a businesswoman in different fields. Back in 1991, she founded her own trucking company, going from a single truck to a large fleet of over 100 trucks.

Currently, Melo owns a real estate brokerage firm, turning it into a successful enterprise despite a battle with breast cancer. That difficult time included a deployment in the Army by her son to Afghanistan.

Outside of Melo, the only other announced candidate for SD 28 is former Republican State Rep. Bob Rommel. Rommel previously represented House District 81 from 2022 to 2024.