TALLAHASSEE - Sen. Victor Crist of Tampa fell ill on the Senate floor Friday night and was taken to a hospital by ambulance.
Crist faltered while reading a budget report in the closing hours of the 2004 legislative session.
Senate President Jim King announced that Crist was "extremely sick with blood pressure and blood sugar problems."
The Senate had just begun debating the budget about 7 p.m., when Crist, Republican chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, began to read a summary of the criminal justice spending plan.
But Crist, 46, paused several times and lost his place. He stopped reading and said he was having trouble seeing. He walked briskly to a back room behind the Senate floor and tugged at Sen. Les Miller, D-Tampa, to accompany him. He was followed by Sen. Durell Peaden, R-Crestview, a retired physician.
Crist was taken to a hospital soon thereafter, King said.
Crist was undergoing tests at the hospital late Friday night, said an aide, Brandon Wagner.
The Florida House held a moment of silence for Crist, who served in the chamber from 1992 through 2000, representing parts of north Hillsborough and south Pasco.
"We need to keep him in our prayers right now," said Rep. Sandra Murman, R-Tampa.
About 9:30 p.m., King told senators Crist was doing well. "Sen. Crist is stable, cognizant and joking," King said. "In many ways he's the lucky senator: He's sleeping, watching TV and eating."
- Times staff writers Joni James and Anita Kumar contributed to this report.
