Florida 2026 Governor’s Race

Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, now a Republican candidate for governor, said at a Tuesday news conference that he would push for a 'permanent and comprehensive' federal ban on Muslim immigration, arguing that Islam is not compatible with the U.S. Constitution and 'American way of life.' Speaking in front of a 'No Sharia Law' sign, he also called for denaturalizing and deporting people with terrorist ties, taxpayer fraud, or serious criminal convictions, and vowed to cut off funding to schools he says promote 'Sharia law concepts.' Renner pledged to seek legislation designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, echoing but going beyond a 2025 DeSantis executive order on those groups that is currently under a federal injunction on First Amendment grounds. He cited post‑9/11 incidents and the recent ISIS‑linked shooting at Old Dominion University as evidence of a 'recurring pattern of conflict and violence,' using that to justify sweeping religious-based immigration and security restrictions. The platform signals how parts of the post‑9/11, post‑Iran‑war right are moving from country‑of‑origin bans toward explicitly religion‑based immigration proposals that would almost certainly face major constitutional challenges and sharp civil‑liberties backlash if ever translated into federal policy.