Call her Senate President-Designate now.

Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples Republican, was officially selected by the Senate GOP Caucus as the incoming president officer for the Florida Legislature's upper chamber.

Sen. Gayle Harrell, a Stuart Republican, nominated Passidomo for the post.

"Creating good policy is what we're about, and it's what Kathleen Passidomo is about," Harrell said.

She pointed to Passidomo's history crafting legislation on protecting seniors. But she also said her colleague has the political capacity to advance an agenda, including working across the aisle.

Senate Republican Leader Debbie Mayfield, an Indiatlantic Republican, seconded the motion, and focused her remarks on Passidomo's personal story as a professional balancing the demands of work with raising a family.

"As senators, we have also enjoyed Kathleen's food over the years," Mayfield said. "One cannot pass up her lasagna or her famous meatballs."

Senators from both parties attended, though the GOP caucus made the selection. Other dignitaries at the ceremony included Gov. Ron DeSantis, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, Attorney General Ashley Moody and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. Former Senate Presidents Tom Lee, Jeff Atwater and Mike Haridopolos made the trip for the ceremony as well, as did House Speaker Chris Sprowls and Speaker-Designate Paul Renner.

That assumes Republicans maintain a majority in 2020, when all 40 Senate districts will be redrawn based on current Census data and hold an election. The GOP holds a 24-16 majority over Democrats now.

While a ceremony formally put Passidomo in line to seize the gavel in November 2022, the race for Senate President was decided some time ago. After a low-key competition with Sen. Travis Hutson, a St. Augustine Republican, Passidomo secured enough votes last November for the job. She served at the time as Senate Republican Leader.

Today, she's the Senate Rules Committee chair. She first won election to the Senate in 2016, and before that served in the House from 2010 to 2016. Passidomo, before public service, became only the second woman to practice law professionally in Collier County.

Of note, Passidomo would be the first female Senate President since Toni Jennings served two terms from 1996 to 2000. She will be the second Republican woman to lead the chamber, after Jennings, and the third woman ever. The first, the late Democrat Gwen Margolis, took the gavel in 1991.

Senate First Gentleman-to-be John Passidomo attended the event by his wife's side.

In the event Democrats pull an upset in the midterms and take the chamber, Democratic Leader Lauren Book of Plantation would become Senate President after the election instead.