Members of the Florida House Democratic Caucus today elected Representative Perry E. Thurston, Jr., of Plantation, to serve as the Democratic leader for the 2012-2014 legislative term.
By formally designating Representative Thurston as the Democratic nominee for Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives in the 2012-14 term, the 39 members of the Democratic caucus have picked the legislator from House District 93 to succeed Rep. Ron Saunders as the Democratic leader.
“I am humbled by the vote of confidence from you, my colleagues,” Rep. Thurston said immediately after the vote. “In the coming months, we will work as a united caucus to offer common-sense solutions to the challenges Floridians continue to face. We will be the loyal opposition that respects the institution, but we will be forceful with our voice for policies that protect middle-class families, the state’s public education system and our dedicated public employees.”
Rep. Thurston attended the University of Miami’s School of Law, where he earned a Jurist Doctorate degree in 1987. He joined the Broward County Public Defender’s Office in 1988 as an assistant public defender and moved into private practice in 1992.
Rep. Thurston was first elected to the House District 93 seat in 2006 and reelected in 2008 and 2010.
