‘The honor of a lifetime’: Mike Redondo wins race to be House Speaker for 2030 term

Less than two years into his first term as a state lawmaker, Miami Rep. Mike Redondo has cemented his spot in line to lead the Legislature’s lower chamber.

All 22 members of the House GOP freshman class voted for Redondo to serve as Speaker after the 2030 elections.

Redondo, a redshirt freshman, told Florida Politics it is “the honor of a lifetime to have the confidence and trust of such a talented and accomplished group of leaders who are champions for their communities.”

“It’s truly a special group,” he said. “I’m excited for us to work together over the coming years to keep Florida on the right track.”

The vote occurred Monday at Boulon Brasserie and Bakery in Tampa. Legislators dined together at a single, large table before unanimously selecting Redondo, a 40-year-old lawyer born to Cuban exiles who won his House District 118 seat by a 6-percentage-point margin in 2023.

The setting was fitting, he said, because it felt more like a gathering of close friends than a formal meeting on succession plans.

“It sounds cliché, but this is a political family that has grown so tight and close that it was just as much enjoying each other’s company as it was coming together to elect a Speaker,” he said. “It was a great time.”

Redondo is slated to take the gavel from Lakeland Rep. Jennifer Canady, who is to serve as Speaker during the 2028 term after Speaker-designate Sam Garrison of Fleming Island succeeds Daniel Perez in November 2026.

Perez, a fellow Miamian, endorsed Redondo shortly after Redondo filed to run for the HD 118 seat, which Juan Fernandez-Barquin vacated to become Miami-Dade County Clerk.

“Michael has always stood for what is right, tirelessly advocating for individuals in the face of injustice, and I am confident he will bring that same level of determination to the Florida House,” Perez said at the time.

Redondo vowed, if elected, to serve in the model of Gov. Ron DeSantis and stressed the “need to send leaders to Tallahassee who will build on the conservative leadership (there) and continue to make Florida a nationwide leader in economic growth, parental involvement, fiscal health and preserving liberty for generations to come.”

Judging from this freshman class, he said, the House GOP continues to succeed in that effort.

“We’ve got incredible leaders from all parts of the state in the House leadership structure now, and certainly in my class,” he said.

“Our state is so diverse. Miami obviously looks very different from Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa. We all bring unique perspectives to the table in terms of our goals and what our districts need back home.

“But the one thing that’s been crystal clear for a long time within the class is that although we come from all over, we are united in the reason we’re here and sacrificing time away from our families, businesses and jobs: to do the right thing. And that’s really been the most refreshing part about this whole process is that we’ve got 22 people who really, truly want to do what’s best for the state of Florida.”