A Florida state senator who used a racial slur and vulgar insults during a private, after-hours conversation with two African-American colleagues resigned Friday.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott has set the dates for a special election to replace Miami state Senator Frank Artiles, who resigned last month after he used a racial slur and vulgar language in a conversation with two African-American colleagues.
The special primary election will be held on July 25, with the special election on Sept. 26, according to an executive order signed by Gov. Scott that was filed Monday.
The incident happened during a private conversation with Sens. Audrey Gibson and Perry Thurston at the Governors Club, a members-only establishment near the Capitol.
Artiles used vulgarities in talking with Gibson, including one particularly offensive to women. Sen. Perry Thurston intervened and Artiles, a Cuban-American from the Miami area, used a variation of the "n-word" and used a vulgarity to describe Negron, according to a complaint filed by Thurston.
Artiles apologized for the comments on the Senate floor but resigned days later.
