Her backers include Polsky, Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman of Boynton Beach, and Sen. Mack Bernard of West Palm Beach.<\/p>\n
Book\u2019s entry to the race comes one day after Polsky announced<\/a> she will not seek another term representing SD 30<\/a>, which covers part of Boca Raton in Palm Beach County and all or part of Coconut Creek, Coral Springs, Deerfield Beach, Lighthouse Point, Margate, North Lauderdale, Parkland and Pompano Beach in Broward.<\/p>\n In a statement, Book called Polsky \u201can exceptional advocate for our community\u201d who will be \u201csorely missed\u201d once she steps away from public service.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was an honor to serve with her in the State Senate,\u201d Book said. \u201cI am committed to continuing the fight to make Florida more affordable for working families and seniors, to keep our children and our community safe, to protect our fundamental freedoms, and to stand up for those who have been silenced or ignored.\u201d<\/p>\n Polsky, in her endorsement message, highlighted Book\u2019s personally informed work as CEO of the nonprofit Lauren\u2019s Kids<\/a>, whose Safer, Smarter Schools curriculum<\/a> is used in classrooms across Florida and nationwide to protect children against sexual abuse.<\/p>\n Lauren\u2019s Kids recently received a national Gracie Award<\/a>, an honor shared this year with Oprah Winfrey, from the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation for its grooming-prevention video. And on May 1, Book completed her 11th annual \u201cWalk in My Shoes\u201d<\/a> trek, a 1,500-mile journey from Key West to Tallahassee, to raise awareness about childhood abuse.<\/p>\n \u201cLauren Book has spent her life turning pain into purpose and fighting for people who too often go unheard,\u201d said Polsky, who has represented SD 30 since 2020. \u201cShe is one of the most compassionate, relentless, and effective advocates I have ever had the pleasure of serving with \u2014 and Florida Senate District 30 would be extraordinarily well represented by her leadership once again.\u201d<\/p>\n Berman praised Book\u2019s caucus leadership \u201cduring some of the most challenging moments in recent Florida history,\u201d a job, she said, done with \u201cstrength, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to fighting for Florida families.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLauren understands both the policy and the people behind it, and she has never lost sight of who she\u2019s fighting for,\u201d Berman said. \u201cI am proud to support her campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n Bernard, who previously served in the House and on the Palm Beach County Commission, called Book \u201ca fearless voice for children, survivors, and communities that too often feel overlooked by those in power.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe knows how to build coalitions, deliver meaningful change, and lead with both compassion and conviction,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m excited to support her return to the Florida Senate.\u201d<\/p>\n During her eight years in the Senate, where her peers elected her<\/a> Democratic Leader in April 2021, Book helped pass Florida\u2019s historic bipartisan gun safety law<\/a> after the Parkland massacre and successfully worked to twice expand Medicaid coverage for new mothers and infants, end the state\u2019s tax on diapers and adult incontinence products, and broaden mental health care access for first responders.<\/p>\n She also passed some of the nation\u2019s toughest child protection laws and measures targeting human trafficking, digital voyeurism<\/a>, \u201crevenge porn\u201d and sexually explicit deepfakes<\/a>.<\/p>\n She reached term limits in November 2024 after serving two consecutive four-year terms.\u00a0Florida lawmakers are limited to eight consecutive years in either chamber, but the restriction is not permanent, meaning Book\u00a0can run again<\/a>\u00a0after leaving office.<\/p>\n The mother of 9-year-old twins, Book would also be the only Jewish woman in the Senate if elected, as Berman is also set to leave the chamber in November due to term limits.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Florida_Politics_and_Influence_Magazine_728x90.jpg\")
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