Former Florida House of Representatives Speaker Paul Renner is the Republican candidate for Florida Governor in the 2026 election and is scheduled to appear on the Republican primary ballot on August 18, 2026.
Mr. Renner is a member of the Florida House of Representatives, where he served for nearly 10 years. He first took office in 2015 and most recently represented the 19th Congressional District from November 2022 until his retirement in November 2024.
During his career as a Congressman, Renner held several influential committee positions. He served as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee during the 2019-2020 term, and then chaired the House Rules and Ethics Committee during the 2021-2022 term. He also served on the House Budget Committee, Rules and Ethics Committee, and Health and Human Services Committee.
Mr. Renner sponsored bills covering a wide range of policy areas, including services for people with developmental disabilities, education and employment for veterans, direct primary care, firearms laws, transportation network companies, health care facilities, growth management, and state government operations. Some of his proposals were directly enacted or advanced through related legislation, including the Veterans Tuition Waiver, Emergency Concealed Carry Protection, Growth Control, and the Florida Historic Capitol Act.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Renner served in the U.S. Navy before beginning his legal and political career. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Davidson College in 1989 and a law degree from the University of Florida in 1994. Outside of elected office, I have worked as an attorney.
