Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner has thrown down the gauntlet in the Sunshine State's gubernatorial race, calling for a sweeping federal ban on Muslim immigration that would permanently restrict entry based on religious grounds.
Renner's bombshell proposal argues that Islamic law is fundamentally incompatible with the U.S. Constitution and American legal traditions, making his campaign the latest to embrace the kind of hardline immigration stance that propelled President Trump back to the White House.
"We cannot continue to import ideologies that directly contradict our founding principles," Renner declared, positioning himself as the true America First candidate in Florida's crowded GOP primary field. The former Speaker's plan would implement permanent federal restrictions on immigration from Muslim-majority nations.
Taking the Fight to Washington
Renner's proposal comes as the Trump-Vance administration has already begun implementing its promised mass deportation operations and border security measures. The Florida candidate is clearly betting that Sunshine State Republicans want a governor who will push Washington even further on immigration enforcement.
This isn't just campaign rhetoric – Renner is calling for concrete federal legislation that would codify these restrictions into law, going beyond the temporary travel restrictions of Trump's first term.
"Florida deserves a governor who won't back down from the tough conversations about who we're letting into our country and why," a Renner campaign spokesman told reporters.
The proposal puts other GOP candidates on notice: in the age of Trump, half-measures on immigration won't cut it with the Republican base. Renner is clearly positioning himself as the candidate most aligned with the President's America First agenda.
With Trump's approval ratings soaring among Republicans after his decisive 2024 victory, Renner's bold stance could resonate strongly with primary voters who want fighters, not politicians who worry about what the legacy media thinks.
The question now is whether other GOP gubernatorial hopefuls will match Renner's intensity – or get left behind by a base that demands action, not just talk, on immigration.