With Jay Collins jilted, Paul Renner plays long game in wooing Ron DeSantis

Former House Speaker Paul Renner knows that any path he has to the Governor’s Mansion is contingent on earning the endorsement of the man in office now.

To that end, he says he’s willing to work and wait for Gov. Ron DeSantis to back him in August’s Republican gubernatorial Primary, he told friendly interviewer Jenna Ellis.

Renner, a Palm Coast Republican, said his rival for the Governor’s support, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, is misleading voters by claiming he’s joined at the hip with DeSantis.

“A campaign is a monthslong job interview, and we get to observe people under pressure,” Renner said. “We get to observe and look deeply into their leadership experience and their record. And, you know, I’ve seen them post a lot of videos where the Governor was saying nice things that are six months old. And so our perspectives on people change over time.”

Indeed, DeSantis has said himself that “personal loyalty” doesn’t move him, saying a “best friend” one day could be jettisoned the next.

DeSantis used to call Collins the “Chuck Norris of Florida Politics,” but that catchy description hasn’t been used for months. Moreover, DeSantis has not endorsed Collins to succeed him, raising further questions about the former Green Beret’s suitability for service in the current Governor’s eyes.

As DeSantis takes a wait-and-see approach to doling out his endorsement, Renner agreed with Ellis’ assertion that DeSantis has “leveled the playing field” in the endorsement sweepstakes.

“There’s no question about it, that he’s not picked anybody in this race,” Renner said.

Renner believes “it’s right for anyone in the Governor’s position to wait until people start paying attention more to this race.”

“Many people probably are not focused on the race yet. Those of us that are in politics and active in politics are. And so as that develops and we see that this is becoming a two-person race between me and Congressman (Byron) Donalds, which I believe it is already, then at that point, we hope to obviously have the Governor’s support, and most importantly, the support of true conservatives in this state.”

Polls and fundraising show Donalds is the prohibitive front-runner, and without DeSantis’ backing, it’s unclear how a Donalds challenger overcomes structural advantages and the endorsement of President Donald Trump.

DeSantis once called Renner’s candidacy “ill-advised” and mocked him as running for “Governor of what?” But DeSantis has warmed to Renner in recent comments. Time will tell how far the thaw goes, given the Governor’s penchant for making friends and then forgetting them.