Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner recently captured a commanding lead in an informal grassroots straw poll of Duval County Republican activists, securing 57.1% support in a survey that highlights early divisions in the crowded 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary.
The poll, conducted over 48 hours by the Republican Liberty Caucus of Northeast Florida (RLC-Duval), drew 105 responses from active members of the local caucus and Duval County Republican Party—described by organizers as “grassroots donors and volunteers” and “super voters” critical to primary success.
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), endorsed by President Donald Trump and viewed as a frontrunner in broader polling, finished a distant second with 27.6%. State Sen. Jay Collins placed third with 8.6%, while candidates James Fishback and Bobby Williams received negligible shares.
Renner, who represented Flagler and St. Johns counties and served as House speaker, framed the results as evidence of a two-person race and sharply contrasted his record with Donalds’.
“Voters want a governor with proven leadership—someone grounded in experience, not hype or smoke and mirrors—who will deliver real results that solve their challenges,” Renner said in a statement to Florida’s Voice. “When they compare my record and results to Congressman Donalds, there’s no comparison.”
He described the strong Northeast Florida showing as a potential bellwether for statewide momentum, noting his familiarity in the region from his legislative tenure.
The RLC-Duval stressed that the survey was informal and carried no official endorsement weight. Broader public polls of likely Republican primary voters continue to show Donalds with significant leads, often in the double digits, bolstered by Trump’s backing and his national profile within the party’s populist wing.
Donalds has not commented publicly on the Duval results as of March 23, 2026.
The 2026 Republican primary to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis is shaping up as one of Florida’s most competitive gubernatorial contests in years, with candidates vying to appeal to both establishment and grassroots factions. Full poll details were released by the RLC-Duval via social media.
Hear an interview with Renner on the Barry Foster Show here.
