Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner filed paperwork on Wednesday morning to run for governor, Politico reported.
Claiming to be one of the architects of building the type of Florida “we love” — referring to his time leading the state House — Renner said that “if you’re looking at how can we predict who will deliver results in the future, you look at who’s already delivered results in the past.”
Renner becomes the first prominent Republican to challenge President Donald Trump’s endorsed pick, Rep. Byron Donalds, according to Politico.
Donalds has brought on many of the same personnel who helped coordinate Trump’s comeback to the White House and has already amassed a $22 million war chest, as well as key endorsements from House colleagues.
In response to the Renner campaign announcement, the Donalds campaign’s chief strategist Ryan Smith said that “Byron Donalds will be Florida’s next governor, because he is the proven conservative fighter endorsed by President Trump.”
But Donalds has not earned the support of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, while Renner was a close partner of the governor’s as he became a leading conservative executive, Politico reported.
As Florida House speaker, Renner was a key force guiding through many of the bills in the Legislature that DeSantis used to make the case for a presidential run.
Among those was legislation to expand school vouchers to Floridians regardless of income, expansive tax holidays and toll rebates for commuters, and looser gun regulations through “constitutional carry,” a measure that allows Floridians to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.
DeSantis has not said who he will back to succeed him, though he recently appointed former Green Beret and decorated military veteran Jay Collins as lieutenant governor — someone who may also enter the gubernatorial contest.
DeSantis has made it clear he doesn’t think that Donalds has the conservative track record to build on his legacy.
Renner will face a precarious balance of attempting to defeat Donalds for the GOP nomination while also demonstrating that he backs the president. He said he would welcome support from either DeSantis or Trump, and that, if elected, Trump could “count on a great partner in me.”
Renner plans to launch a new state political committee and visit all of Florida’s 67 counties.
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