- April 18, 2024
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Florida House District 24 Rep. Paul Renner of Palm Coast has been elected speaker of the Florida House of Representatives for the 2022-2024 term.
Renner was elected by his peers in the 27-member freshman Republican class June 30 in a closed meeting at an Orlando hotel. Other candidates for the seat were Rep. Byron Donalds of Naples; Rep. Erin Grall of Vero Beach and Rep. Jamie Grant of Tampa.
This year's process — a formal vote — differed from previous years,' in which candidates would collect pledge cards.
"At the end of the day, we ended up with a good, effective leader for us going forward," said fellow freshman Republican Rep. Tom Leek, who represents District 25 and had supported Renner.
Renner won in the first round of voting, Leek said.
Renner's election to the speakership is contingent on the Republican Party retaining its majority in the Florida House through the upcoming elections.
The speaker presides over the House sessions for a two-year term, and has the power to select chairmen for committees, and appoint their members.
The current speaker is District 37 Rep. Richard Corcoran of Land o' Lakes. Corcoran will be succeeded as speaker by 110th District Rep. Jose Oliva of Hialeah, then by 65th District Rep. Chris Sprowls of Palm Harbor before Renner's term begins.
Renner was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2015 in a special election to fill a seat vacated by Travis Hutson, who left his House seat to run for a seat on the Florida Senate, which he won. Renner was then reelected.
