DeSantis & the Florida speaker are just getting started. Here’s what’s next.

This week, Florida’s statehouse cleared the way for Gov. Ron DeSantis to sign a six-week abortion ban. The man who shepherded the bill, House Speaker Paul Renner, joins Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza for this episode of Playbook Deep Dive. 

You might not know Renner’s name – but you definitely know his work: 

• A bill to ban surgeries and prescription treatments for transgender minors, which has passed the state Senate and Renner will soon push through the House
• One of the most comprehensive new school voucher laws in the country
• Legislation removing books with sexual content from Florida public schools
• A major tort reform bill, big tax cuts
• And if he gets around to it this session: a bill aimed at over-turning the 1964 New York Times v. Sullivan decision, the most important First Amendment ruling of the last century

All of this is aimed at Renner’s other project: helping Gov. Ron DeSantis build a record of accomplishments in Florida on which he can base his presidential campaign. 

While Republicans have created a legislative assembly line that is spitting out laws to change seemingly every aspect of life in Florida, a big question suddenly hangs over their project: 

Are they building a record of accomplishments that can launch the DeSantis rocket to the White House? Or are they weighing down the governor with so much right-wing baggage that he crashes upon liftoff?

Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.
Paul Renner is the speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.
Afra Abdullah is an associate producer for POLITICO audio.
Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. 
Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.
Jenny Ament is the executive producer for POLITICO audio.

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