Is future House Speaker Paul Renner a 'Jacksonville guy?'

Rep. Paul Renner may no longer live in Jacksonville, but the city’s political and business leaders are counting on him and his influence as a future House speaker to ensure local priorities get the Legislature’s attention.

Renner’s freshman Republican colleagues elected him on June 30 to be their class leader, putting him in line to be Speaker of the House in 2022.

The last time someone with Jacksonville ties had such a prominent role was when Sen. Jim King served as Senate president from 2002 to 2004. During that time he advocated for the St. Johns River and proposed changes to the school funding formula that benefited districts in North Florida. John Thrasher was based in Orange Park when he served as House speaker from 1998 to 2000, but he considered Jacksonville part of his base.

“My North Florida friends were the ones who got behind me,” said Thrasher, who now serves as Florida State University’s president. “I would not have run for speaker if I did not have the backing of my local delegation.”

Once Renner decided to run for speaker, the Palm Coast Republican reached out to Thrasher for advice. Thrasher told him to focus on demonstrating his leadership skills to fellow freshman Republicans. After all, Thrasher told Renner, the speaker’s job is really “House listener.”

“You have to listen to a lot of viewpoints and then come up with an agenda,” Thrasher said. “And if people have enough confidence, they will go over the bridge for you.”

Although his district may not include Duval County — its boundaries stretch from southern St. Johns through Flagler and into northern Volusia counties — Renner, 50, has deep ties to Jacksonville. He grew up in Arlington and graduated from Terry Parker High School. He is a shareholder at the Milam Howard Nicandri Gillam and Renner law firm in the heart of downtown.

Renner ran in 2014 for a House seat that represents Westside Jacksonville, but lost to Rep. Jay Fant by two votes in the primary. Ironically, that setback put him in a position to win a special election in District 24 just a few months later due to shuffling that occurred when Thrasher took the FSU job.

By having almost two more full sessions under his belt than most other members of the 2016 freshman class, Renner was able to parlay his additional experience into a successful bid to become speaker.

“Had he won that race with Jay Fant, he would not be speaker today,” Jacksonville lobbyist Marty Fiorentino said. “And I think there is something providential about that.”

Fiorentino and his firm were part of the push in Jacksonville to help secure support for Renner. Leading the effort was former ambassador, local businessman and prominent GOP fundraiser John Rood. A host of local business leaders and Republican Party insiders wrote checks to Renner’s Florida Foundation for Liberty political committee.

He raised $261,500 in May alone, a key month when legislative session ended and the speaker’s race began to heat up. Jamie Shelton, president of the bestbet race tracks and poker rooms, said his company and its affiliates donated to the cause — $13,500, according to campaign finance records — and also encouraged others to do the same.

“Let’s be honest, it takes money to run political races,” Shelton said recently. “It takes money to do things in the Legislature and in elections.”

Shelton said Renner is considered a good person, a natural leader and someone who would represent the region well.

‘A VOICE AND A SAY’

As House speaker, Renner’s responsibilities will require him to consider the impacts of policies and spending decisions statewide. But it’s still important to have someone who knows about local issues in the driver’s seat, former Mayor John Peyton said.

“It’s a large body, and having a speaker from Northeast Florida really ensures that the region does have a voice and a say,” Peyton said. “I think business leaders understand the value of having a strong voice in the Legislature.”

These business leaders not only helped raise money for Renner, they provided credibility to his campaign and reached out to contacts across the state to help drum up support. But it was up to Renner to secure at least 14 votes from colleagues, the majority needed to win.

He met with candidates during the 2016 campaign season and continued to build relationships after the election. He also proved his mettle when he was tasked with defending Speaker Richard Corcoran’s proposal to phase out economic incentives.

Some people considered that a death sentence for Renner’s speakership ambitions, Rep. Clay Yarborough said. After all, he was pushing to end programs that provided businesses millions of dollars in grants and tax cuts over the years. Plus, Gov. Rick Scott was vehemently opposed.

“It was something that cut to the core of the business community, not only at the Capitol but all across the state,” Yarborough said.

As the proposal was debated and amended during the regular and special session, Renner was praised for his poise and attention to detail. Yarborough, who supported Renner in the speaker’s race, said it helped convince others he has what it takes.

“I believe organically his support was growing because people saw him under fire, and they saw him working hard,” Yarborough said.

LOCAL IMPACTS CAN LAST YEARS

Although voting on the 30th was conducted via secret ballot, it is believed that Renner received support from all but one member of the First Coast Legislative Delegation that includes representatives from Duval, Nassau, Baker, Clay, St. Johns and Putnam counties. He may have also expanded that regional base by gaining the support of colleagues representing Alachua and Marion counties.

Renner also is believed to have received votes from members from the Panhandle, Southwest Florida and Central Florida.

For now, he says his main role is serving as class leader and helping the three men ahead of him in the speakership queue achieve their goals. But as 2022 draws closer, he will likely be slated for more visible roles, such as raising funds and supporting candidates to help preserve Republicans’ control of the House ahead of the 2022 elections.

Peyton served as Jacksonville’s mayor from 2003 through 2011, after Thrasher had completed his tenure as speaker. But he continued to see Thrasher’s impacts even years after. “The benefits of him having been speaker we’re still being felt.”

Tia Mitchell, (850) 933-1321