US EditionFormer Florida House Speaker Seeks DeSantis’ Seat without the Florida Governor’s Blessing
Paul Renner, a former Florida House Speaker, enters the 2026 governor race focusing on affordability, education, infrastructure, and insurance amid a crowded Republican field.
- On Wednesday, Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner filed to run for governor, becoming the second big-name Republican to enter the race to replace term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis next year.
- Renner, who led the House from 2022 to 2024, worked closely with Ron DeSantis advancing conservative legislation and framed his campaign around affordability and conservative reforms.
- On finances, Renner trails well-funded rivals, as existing political committees of Renner hold about $1 million, while Rep. Byron Donalds has raised more than $20 million as of late June.
- DeSantis responded that he won't back Renner and called the entry ill-advised, while President Donald Trump endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds, positioning Donalds as front-runner.
- DeSantis is still trying to recruit a candidate who could enter in the coming months, while Lt. Gov. Jay Collins is weighing a run and has had a higher-profile role than typical, signaling another potential heavyweight in a bruising Republican primary.
33 Articles
33 Articles
Former Florida House speaker mounts gubernatorial bid, challenging Trump-backed candidate Rep. Byron Donalds
Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner jumps into the Sunshine State's gubernatorial contest even as U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds has President Trump's backing
What the Hell? An Indecorous DeSantis Calls Renner's Governor Run 'Ill-Advised'
Ron DeSantis does not want former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner to succeed him as governor, he told a packed crowd Wednesday. His blunt take on the 48-year-old’s candidacy stood in contrast to Renner’s campaign launch earlier Wednesday, when the former House Speaker lauded himself as a top GOP figure who played a key role in advancing DeSantis’s agenda. The post What the Hell? An Indecorous DeSantis Calls Renner’s Governor Run ‘Ill-Advised’ …
Former House Speaker Paul Renner Launches Gubernatorial Campaign
Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner announced Wednesday he is running for governor in 2026, formally filing his candidacy with the state and pledging to continue policies advanced under Gov. Ron DeSantis. Renner, a Palm Coast Republican who led the House from 2022 to 2024, said in a campaign statement that he stood with DeSantis in shaping the “Free State of Florida” and that his campaign would focus on defending those gains while addressin…
DeSantis opposes Paul Renner entering governor’s race: ‘Ill-advised decision’
Gov. Ron DeSantis. with Ohio state Rep. Heidi Workman. (Photo by Nick Evans/Ohio Capital Journal)Ron DeSantis does not want former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner to succeed him as governor, he told a packed crowd Wednesday. “I’m not supporting Paul Renner,” DeSantis said during a Valrico press conference, hours after the Palm Coast Republican filed for the 2026 governor’s race. Renner will face the only other high-profile Republican in the ra…
Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner to run against Donalds for governor
Former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Paul Renner has announced his bid to become the next governor of Florida, challenging Trump-endorsed candidate Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL). Renner filed his candidacy on Wednesday morning, saying he is the candidate who can “stand in and defend the Florida we love, but also address challenges” in his announcement to ABC28. Renner, a Navy veteran and former Florida state prosecutor, joins eight…
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