Florida state Sen. Geraldine Thompson dies at 76 after complications from knee replacement surgery

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Florida state Sen. Geraldine Thompson died Thursday following complications from knee replacement surgery, her family said. She was 76.

The Orlando-area Democrat had served in the Florida Legislature since 2006. Her most recent time in the Florida Senate began in 2022. She had previously served as a member of the Florida Senate from 2012 to 2016. She also served in the Florida House from 2006 to 2012 and again from 2018 to 2022.

“Her tireless work in education, healthcare, and civil rights, including her leadership to establish the Wells’Built Museum of African American History and Culture in Orlando, reflected her unwavering commitment to creating a better world for future generations,” Thompson’s family said in a statement.

Thompson served as vice chair on the Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education. She also served on the Education Postsecondary; Education Pre-K-12; Fiscal Policy; Judiciary, Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security; and Rules committees.