November 7, 2025 • 10 mins
Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner unveiled his “Florida Health Freedom and Wellness Initiative”, a comprehensive health policy platform which he says will protect medical freedom, increase safety and transparency in medical research, support parental rights and healthy schools, and encourage community wellness and preventative healthcare access.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, Joel, Malcolm Ford, WJ and O dot com and
the Florida News Network and we have on the line
Paul Renner. He's a former Florida House Speaker and current
Republican gubernatorial candidate here in the state of Florida. Thank
you for joining me.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
It's all great to be with you.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
So you just earlier this week unveiled your health platform.
It is the Florida Health Freedom and Wellness Initiative. Love
you to get into detail on this for me.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Well. As we all remember, COVID was one of the
biggest affronts to the civil liberties of Americans in our history,
and as governor, I will never ever let that happen again.
And so as we look at it, we want to
make sure that we're protecting people's health freedom, that we
make sure that people have full information, We have transparency
(00:51):
about everything in our healthcare decisions and make individuals make
those decisions for themselves. And the same thing is true
for parents and their kids.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Uh yeah, And you know one of the things we
we went through less in Florida thanks to the current Governor,
Rondy Santasov, but we did a little bit. We had
the masks and all the craziness that that ensued with
the masks that we later determined, oh, maybe they really
didn't help that much. Obviously, the rest of the country
(01:25):
kept the masks on for a lot longer than we did.
H A lot of the country, uh, you know, kept
going with the mandates regarding the vaccines. So, yeah, talk
more about you know what if something like this happens
again under under a Paul Renner governorship, how's it going
(01:46):
to look?
Speaker 2 (01:47):
It was one of Governor Desantas's greatest moments as governor.
As you said, you know, initially we kind of followed
what the federal government and the public health so called
public experts were saying that we quickly reopened our beaches,
our businesses, took the masks off, and avoided a lot
of economic and psychological harm that we've seen it. I
don't know that we'll ever be able to calculate its
(02:09):
effect and even its permanent effect on many people. So
as governor, I will not allow that to happen. I'm
not going to have another COVID lockdown. And so we're saying, look,
parents and pediatricians need to make decisions about things like vaccines.
A COVID vaccine for your kid and talk about the
costs and the benefits. Personally, my kids won't be having
a COVID vaccine, But I look at things like polio
(02:30):
and things that I took when I was young, and
my kids have had that vaccine. When we were younger,
you know, there were like ten of these and now
there's like fifty sixty seventy. And it's not something we
want to do to allow the CDC and the Department
of Health and mandate that you're going to take all
of those, regardless of your concerns about the cost of them.
(02:51):
And so I want the parents to decide that alongside
their pediatrician.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Now, the Florida Surgeon General, doctor Joseph Lattim, has spoken
out and he wants you talk about polio and some
of the other ones that have been around for many
of them decades. He wants to make those actually optional
in schools. So, I know, you just kind of mentioned that,
(03:18):
you know, as far as the polio being different than
the COVID vaccine that hadn't been proven and whatnot, where
would you stand on that. So let's say that that
is the rule of thumb in Florida.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yeah, where we from most of the mandates period and
so if you see other nations in Europe that don't
have mandates, there's still a lot of people that get
vaccines because they, in their judgment, after they talk to
their doctor, decide that this particular vaccine has higher benefit
than a cost. But things like the rotavirus that are
now recommended or mandated as not something that's going to
(03:52):
kill your kid, You're going to actually develop immunity, and
so it's up to the parent to make that decision
with their pediatrician. And I think think when you see that,
you'll you'll have many parents that offer a vaccine, but
you'll have some that don't. And that's what health freedom
is all about.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
So you're on board with what Latipo, what doctor Latipoe
is saying at this big Yes, Yes.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
I would eliminate all vaccine mandates in Florida.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
And you know, you talk about parental rights and that
that's what we're on the subject of. You know, you
also have some of the laws that Florida has put
into effect aside from aside from the health issues, with
the things with UH in schools, with teachers UH not
being able to refer to a boy or girl as
(04:37):
a different name than than what's on. You're on board
with all of you know, all of that stuff, yes.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
And so taking part of the health freedom agendas, looking
at our school health clinics that you know, when I
was younger, you got a band aid, you got an
as friend. If you had a fever, you know, they
called your mom to come pick you up. And now
decisions are being made again by the same so called
public health experts about our kids. Fundamental questions about out
medical decisions, mental health decisions, and conversations that really belong
(05:05):
in the hands of parents or at least with parents
knowledge that it's happening and they're consent to have that
conversation take place at school. And so this is another
aspect of our health freedom agenda, along with supporting good
food for our kids, supporting a fitness program, a Governor's fitness,
physical fitness program that I'll start as governor to make
sure our kids are active, that they have great meals
(05:28):
that help them grow strong and learn.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
So would that be similar to what we had years
ago where a lot of the junk food was no
longer being sent into the schools because I think that
some of that's come back in recent years.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
That's right, Yeah, we want to look this is again
we're not about mandates. We're about giving people full information
and giving them healthy options. So having a partnership with
our farmers to have farm de cafeteria type meal options
that are healthy and make again children strong and allow
them to learn.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Let me ask you. So aside from that, a lot
of the a lot of the other stuff. It sounds
like you know, you're you're keeping on board to where
if somebody is a DESSANDUS supporter, you're not looking to change, well,
anything that really we've talked about, aside from adding that,
any anything else that you could tell us that would
put you above your your uh uh competition, your challengers
(06:25):
in the race. I guess right now it's just one,
but it looks it looks like a third ones third
candidate might be jumping in soon. The lieutenant governor and
he says he's been thinking about it and uh has
made a decision and we'll have an announcement within a
couple of weeks. So you know, tell us what what
sets you a part and above the other folks that
will be on the ballot on the Republican side.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Well, first off, if you love what the governor's done,
I helped him as a key architect as Speaker of
the House to build what we call the Free State
of Florida, So you'll like Governor Renter. And secondly, I
think the biggest issue between my current opponent and me
is just in terms of results, leadership background. Twenty years
in the military, I served in two wars, former state attorney,
started a business partner in another business, and a successful
(07:11):
Speaker of the House in two of the most conservative
and consequential years we've had. And so it's really about
results versus rhetoric and making sure that we deliver on
the problems that f'l already instilled face. And if you
want somebody to solve tomorrow's problems, you go to somebody
who's already solved them in the past, and that would
be me. And so I look forward to running a
strong campaign. I'm a full spectrum conservative and I've got
(07:35):
all the courage to do the job no matter what
comes at us.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
So Byron Donald's is the current candidate that's in besides
yourself on the Republican side, the congressman from Southwest Florida.
He has President Trump's endorsement. Is there anything that you
think you could do to maybe sway the president with
regards to that or is it not even something that
you're concerned about.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
I'd love to have the President's support. I'll be a
great partner for President Trump. And so not only will
I continue a lot of the great things we love
about Florida that Governor DeSantis has been engaged in, but
be a great partner for the president. And you know,
we were all together at three am in the morning
on election night, hugging and high fiving, and I think
he's doing a great job. And I'll continue to to
(08:21):
be a great partner for the President as governor.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
And I mentioned Lieutenant Governor j Collins has not jumped
in the race at this point, but just recently, just
earlier this week, asked about it. He you know, it
sounds like he's getting ready to run, do you and
maybe this is conjecture at this point, So if you
don't want to answer, that's fine, But you know, what
(08:45):
are the odds that he gets Governor de Santis's endorsement
or you know, do you have you do you have
any reason to believe that you might get that or
have you already gotten it?
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Well, no, I I have no idea. Jay's a friend,
and look, at the end of the day, the goal
is to beat the Democrats. Any of us would be
far better than the alternative. But we'll see who gets
in the race. Have no control over that. I just
believe on leadership, background and results that I'm by far
the best candidate in the race and we can continue
to have a great next eight years like we've had
(09:17):
in the last seven.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
You know what, before I let you run, I know
you're busy. Just had the Jerry Demings, the mayor of
the Orange County mayor, jump in the race on the
Democrat side. I wanted to give you an option opportunity
to what are your thoughts on Jerry Demings as a candidate.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Well, you look at what happened in New York City
and we now have not only a socialist, but really
a communist in charge. And that's really the beating heart
and soul of the Democrat Party today. And it's going
to be a lot of what Jerry Demmings or any
other Democrat nominee is going to offer to the state
of Florida. We have to reject it soundly. Continue on
the freedom path we're on. It's something I helped build
a Speaker of the House, and we'll can continue down
(10:01):
free State of Florida path when I'm governor.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
All right, well, I appreciate you joining us today and
talk about your Florida Health, Freedom and Wellness initiative. Where
can folks go to get some more details on.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
It, Well, you can follow us on x at Paul
Renner and other social Instagram and so forth. We have
some graphics out there talking about our initiative. There's a
video of my speech the other day at seed to
Table down in Naples. We were proud to have a
great response, and we're going to continue to make Florida
place where we're healthier and we're also free.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Former Florida House Speaker and current Republican governor candidates here
in Florida, Paul Renner, thank you for joining me.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Thank you, Jill
Hey, Joel, Malcolm Ford, WJ and O dot com and
the Florida News Network and we have on the line
Paul Renner. He's a former Florida House Speaker and current
Republican gubernatorial candidate here in the state of Florida. Thank
you for joining me.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
It's all great to be with you.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
So you just earlier this week unveiled your health platform.
It is the Florida Health Freedom and Wellness Initiative. Love
you to get into detail on this for me.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Well. As we all remember, COVID was one of the
biggest affronts to the civil liberties of Americans in our history,
and as governor, I will never ever let that happen again.
And so as we look at it, we want to
make sure that we're protecting people's health freedom, that we
make sure that people have full information, We have transparency
(00:51):
about everything in our healthcare decisions and make individuals make
those decisions for themselves. And the same thing is true
for parents and their kids.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Uh yeah, And you know one of the things we
we went through less in Florida thanks to the current Governor,
Rondy Santasov, but we did a little bit. We had
the masks and all the craziness that that ensued with
the masks that we later determined, oh, maybe they really
didn't help that much. Obviously, the rest of the country
(01:25):
kept the masks on for a lot longer than we did.
H A lot of the country, uh, you know, kept
going with the mandates regarding the vaccines. So, yeah, talk
more about you know what if something like this happens
again under under a Paul Renner governorship, how's it going
(01:46):
to look?
Speaker 2 (01:47):
It was one of Governor Desantas's greatest moments as governor.
As you said, you know, initially we kind of followed
what the federal government and the public health so called
public experts were saying that we quickly reopened our beaches,
our businesses, took the masks off, and avoided a lot
of economic and psychological harm that we've seen it. I
don't know that we'll ever be able to calculate its
(02:09):
effect and even its permanent effect on many people. So
as governor, I will not allow that to happen. I'm
not going to have another COVID lockdown. And so we're saying, look,
parents and pediatricians need to make decisions about things like vaccines.
A COVID vaccine for your kid and talk about the
costs and the benefits. Personally, my kids won't be having
a COVID vaccine, But I look at things like polio
(02:30):
and things that I took when I was young, and
my kids have had that vaccine. When we were younger,
you know, there were like ten of these and now
there's like fifty sixty seventy. And it's not something we
want to do to allow the CDC and the Department
of Health and mandate that you're going to take all
of those, regardless of your concerns about the cost of them.
(02:51):
And so I want the parents to decide that alongside
their pediatrician.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Now, the Florida Surgeon General, doctor Joseph Lattim, has spoken
out and he wants you talk about polio and some
of the other ones that have been around for many
of them decades. He wants to make those actually optional
in schools. So, I know, you just kind of mentioned that,
(03:18):
you know, as far as the polio being different than
the COVID vaccine that hadn't been proven and whatnot, where
would you stand on that. So let's say that that
is the rule of thumb in Florida.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yeah, where we from most of the mandates period and
so if you see other nations in Europe that don't
have mandates, there's still a lot of people that get
vaccines because they, in their judgment, after they talk to
their doctor, decide that this particular vaccine has higher benefit
than a cost. But things like the rotavirus that are
now recommended or mandated as not something that's going to
(03:52):
kill your kid, You're going to actually develop immunity, and
so it's up to the parent to make that decision
with their pediatrician. And I think think when you see that,
you'll you'll have many parents that offer a vaccine, but
you'll have some that don't. And that's what health freedom
is all about.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
So you're on board with what Latipo, what doctor Latipoe
is saying at this big Yes, Yes.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
I would eliminate all vaccine mandates in Florida.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
And you know, you talk about parental rights and that
that's what we're on the subject of. You know, you
also have some of the laws that Florida has put
into effect aside from aside from the health issues, with
the things with UH in schools, with teachers UH not
being able to refer to a boy or girl as
(04:37):
a different name than than what's on. You're on board
with all of you know, all of that stuff, yes.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
And so taking part of the health freedom agendas, looking
at our school health clinics that you know, when I
was younger, you got a band aid, you got an
as friend. If you had a fever, you know, they
called your mom to come pick you up. And now
decisions are being made again by the same so called
public health experts about our kids. Fundamental questions about out
medical decisions, mental health decisions, and conversations that really belong
(05:05):
in the hands of parents or at least with parents
knowledge that it's happening and they're consent to have that
conversation take place at school. And so this is another
aspect of our health freedom agenda, along with supporting good
food for our kids, supporting a fitness program, a Governor's fitness,
physical fitness program that I'll start as governor to make
sure our kids are active, that they have great meals
(05:28):
that help them grow strong and learn.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
So would that be similar to what we had years
ago where a lot of the junk food was no
longer being sent into the schools because I think that
some of that's come back in recent years.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
That's right, Yeah, we want to look this is again
we're not about mandates. We're about giving people full information
and giving them healthy options. So having a partnership with
our farmers to have farm de cafeteria type meal options
that are healthy and make again children strong and allow
them to learn.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Let me ask you. So aside from that, a lot
of the a lot of the other stuff. It sounds
like you know, you're you're keeping on board to where
if somebody is a DESSANDUS supporter, you're not looking to change, well,
anything that really we've talked about, aside from adding that,
any anything else that you could tell us that would
put you above your your uh uh competition, your challengers
(06:25):
in the race. I guess right now it's just one,
but it looks it looks like a third ones third
candidate might be jumping in soon. The lieutenant governor and
he says he's been thinking about it and uh has
made a decision and we'll have an announcement within a
couple of weeks. So you know, tell us what what
sets you a part and above the other folks that
will be on the ballot on the Republican side.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Well, first off, if you love what the governor's done,
I helped him as a key architect as Speaker of
the House to build what we call the Free State
of Florida, So you'll like Governor Renter. And secondly, I
think the biggest issue between my current opponent and me
is just in terms of results, leadership background. Twenty years
in the military, I served in two wars, former state attorney,
started a business partner in another business, and a successful
(07:11):
Speaker of the House in two of the most conservative
and consequential years we've had. And so it's really about
results versus rhetoric and making sure that we deliver on
the problems that f'l already instilled face. And if you
want somebody to solve tomorrow's problems, you go to somebody
who's already solved them in the past, and that would
be me. And so I look forward to running a
strong campaign. I'm a full spectrum conservative and I've got
(07:35):
all the courage to do the job no matter what
comes at us.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
So Byron Donald's is the current candidate that's in besides
yourself on the Republican side, the congressman from Southwest Florida.
He has President Trump's endorsement. Is there anything that you
think you could do to maybe sway the president with
regards to that or is it not even something that
you're concerned about.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
I'd love to have the President's support. I'll be a
great partner for President Trump. And so not only will
I continue a lot of the great things we love
about Florida that Governor DeSantis has been engaged in, but
be a great partner for the president. And you know,
we were all together at three am in the morning
on election night, hugging and high fiving, and I think
he's doing a great job. And I'll continue to to
(08:21):
be a great partner for the President as governor.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
And I mentioned Lieutenant Governor j Collins has not jumped
in the race at this point, but just recently, just
earlier this week, asked about it. He you know, it
sounds like he's getting ready to run, do you and
maybe this is conjecture at this point, So if you
don't want to answer, that's fine, But you know, what
(08:45):
are the odds that he gets Governor de Santis's endorsement
or you know, do you have you do you have
any reason to believe that you might get that or
have you already gotten it?
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Well, no, I I have no idea. Jay's a friend,
and look, at the end of the day, the goal
is to beat the Democrats. Any of us would be
far better than the alternative. But we'll see who gets
in the race. Have no control over that. I just
believe on leadership, background and results that I'm by far
the best candidate in the race and we can continue
to have a great next eight years like we've had
(09:17):
in the last seven.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
You know what, before I let you run, I know
you're busy. Just had the Jerry Demings, the mayor of
the Orange County mayor, jump in the race on the
Democrat side. I wanted to give you an option opportunity
to what are your thoughts on Jerry Demings as a candidate.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Well, you look at what happened in New York City
and we now have not only a socialist, but really
a communist in charge. And that's really the beating heart
and soul of the Democrat Party today. And it's going
to be a lot of what Jerry Demmings or any
other Democrat nominee is going to offer to the state
of Florida. We have to reject it soundly. Continue on
the freedom path we're on. It's something I helped build
a Speaker of the House, and we'll can continue down
(10:01):
free State of Florida path when I'm governor.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
All right, well, I appreciate you joining us today and
talk about your Florida Health, Freedom and Wellness initiative. Where
can folks go to get some more details on.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
It, Well, you can follow us on x at Paul
Renner and other social Instagram and so forth. We have
some graphics out there talking about our initiative. There's a
video of my speech the other day at seed to
Table down in Naples. We were proud to have a
great response, and we're going to continue to make Florida
place where we're healthier and we're also free.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Former Florida House Speaker and current Republican governor candidates here
in Florida, Paul Renner, thank you for joining me.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Thank you, Jill
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