Will Robinson reflects on family, faith and service in House farewell remarks

Bradenton Republican Rep. Will Robinson delivered his farewell remarks on the House floor, reflecting on family, faith and the relationships he built during eight years representing Manatee County in Tallahassee.

Robinson, who first won election in 2018 and now serves as Chair of the House State Affairs Committee, is leaving the chamber after four terms due to Florida’s term limits.

In his remarks during Monday’s House Session, Robinson framed his time in the Legislature through three symbolic locations in the House chamber — an empty chair, the members-only “bubble” room, and the seat where he once served early in his legislative career — using each to reflect on the people and moments that shaped his time in office.

Robinson spoke about the empty chair where his father sat during Robinson’s swearing-in ceremony in 2018 while battling cancer. He told fellow lawmakers that memory continues to represent perseverance and the support of family members who stood behind him throughout his legislative career. Robinson also introduced members of his family watching from the gallery, including his mother and son, and spoke about the importance of their encouragement throughout his time in public service.

“I can still see him there, beaming with pride,” he said.

Robinson next pointed to the members-only “bubble” room in the back of the chamber, recalling that it was there in 2019 that he learned he would not become House Speaker. What began as a disappointment, he said, ultimately became a defining moment in his legislative career, shaping many of the relationships he formed in Tallahassee. 

Robinson singled out House Speaker Daniel Perez, a former rival in the Speaker’s race who later became one of his closest allies. He said Perez showed him personal kindness during a difficult time in his life, including giving him two cross lapel pins after Robinson’s father was diagnosed with cancer — one of which Robinson wore during his farewell remarks while the other was buried with his father.

“I mention the loss not because I reflect on it often, I really don’t,” Robinson said. “But to transition to the third and final stop of this August chamber. Frankly, I would not have reached this final stop with my hand almost touching the speaker’s gavel.”

Robinson said the seat he occupied during his second term — the chair formerly held by Rep. Fiona McFarland — marked the third and final stop in his reflection on his legislative journey. He reminisced about the time he cast one of the most meaningful votes of his time in the House from that seat, although he did not specify which legislation that was during Monday’s remarks.

“I truly believe that vote was for those like me,” Robinson said. 

“That was a tough time for me, filled with uncertainty and anxiety, but one truth I learned from a lifetime of toil was that we are all deserving of love, no matter who, indeed, we do love. I am forever grateful for the incredible advice and support from Speaker (Chris) Sprowls, and the last person I want to introduce you to, Sen. Colleen Burton. Thank you, Colleen, for listening to me during the most important conversation of my life, you are a blessing to me. We all need someone like Colleen in our life.”

Robinson told colleagues the experience reinforced a lesson he carried throughout the remainder of his service: that every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. 

Robinson closed by encouraging fellow lawmakers to embrace both triumphs and setbacks in public service, telling members that the Legislature is ultimately about the relationships and lessons formed along the way.

A Bradenton native with deep family roots in Manatee County, Robinson has often tied his legislative priorities to the environmental legacy of his family and the Gulf Coast community he represents. Land once owned by his family was ultimately preserved as Robinson Preserve, a major coastal conservation area in Manatee County — a connection that helped shape Robinson’s focus on environmental protection during his time in the Legislature.

Over four terms in the House, Robinson helped advance initiatives aimed at combating harmful algal blooms and restoring seagrass in Florida’s coastal waters while also supporting policy efforts related to consumer protections, workforce issues and property rights. Environmental preservation remained a recurring theme throughout his tenure, including his vocal opposition to a proposed cruise port near the mouth of Tampa Bay in Manatee County.

Robinson will remain in the House through the end of the 2026 term before leaving office under Florida’s term limits. He has said he plans to return his focus to his legal practice and family in Manatee County, though he has left open the possibility of future public service if the right opportunity arises in the community or back in Tallahassee.