Florida Senate President Ben Albritton was hospitalized overnight Sunday with a blood clot in his lung, his office announced Monday morning.
The Wauchula Republican, now in “good spirits,” began experiencing chest pains Sunday morning. He was taken to the emergency room at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, where physicians discovered a small blood clot in his lung.
“The President is in good spirits and has been in frequent communication with staff via phone and email yesterday and today,” the Senate’s office wrote in a statement. “All previously scheduled Senate business will proceed as planned this week.”
Although Albritton is still in the ER under observation and awaiting further testing, his office expects him to return to his office later this week.
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The 57-year-old Senate president was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2010 and then to the Senate in 2018. In Oct. 2023, during the first Senate presidential term of Republican Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, Albritton was unanimously selected president-designate.
He took over the role in November 2024, presiding over his first session as president in the coming months. Albritton’s top priority legislation was a “Rural Renaissance” package designed to revitalize housing, education, healthcare, business, and agriculture in Florida’s farmlands.
Although it failed, the bundle has been resurrected for the 2026 session.
“The President and Mrs. Albritton are grateful to the physicians and staff at Tallahassee Memorial for the excellent care the President is receiving,” the statement continues. “He looks forward to returning to the office later this week. The President and Mrs. Albritton would be very grateful for your prayers.”
The Florida Senate is expected to hold a floor session on Thursday at 9 a.m. This is the only legislative meeting that Albritton presides over. All other business this week is scheduled in committee hearings.
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