Gov. Ron DeSantis has finally filled the state's lieutenant governor position after a six-month vacancy.
He announced his pick on Tuesday, and state Sen. Jay Collins of Tampa was sworn in shortly after.
“I’m happy to be able to have the opportunity to elevate somebody who's earned it, somebody that you can trust and somebody that you can be proud of,” DeSantis said.
But what does the lieutenant governor actually do? And who is Collins?
What does a lieutenant governor do?
Florida's lieutenant governor is usually elected on the same ticket as the governor.
But DeSantis' first LG, Jeanette Nuñez, resigned in February to lead Florida International University.
The lieutenant governor's role is mainly ceremonial. The biggest part of the job comes if the current governor is no longer able to serve. Collins is next up in the line of succession.
The Florida Constitution also says the lieutenant governor “shall perform such duties pertaining to the office of governor as shall be assigned by the governors.”
Among Nuñez’s roles were overseeing the Florida Department of Health, leading the Florida Cybersecurity Advisory Council and serving on the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking, according to a governor’s office press release.
But DeSantis may have picked more than a replacement for Nuñez.
For weeks, there has been widespread speculation that DeSantis’ choice for lieutenant governor signals his preferred successor when he is term-limited in 2026.
Yet, First Lady Casey DeSantis hasn’t publicly ruled out a gubernatorial run of her own. While she had a rumored interest in the role, that chatter has quieted some recently.
Either Collins or DeSantis running in 2026 would create political drama. President Donald Trump has already endorsed U.S. Representative Byron Donalds for the position.
Who is Jay Collins?
Collins is a former Green Beret. He earned a number of military accolades and received a Purple Heart medal after losing his left leg in Afghanistan.
“Friends, the battlefield, it may change, but the mission stays the same — we are going to protect and preserve everything that matters,” Collins said on Tuesday.
“I want you to know that I've got my sleeves rolled up, I've got my running leg on, and we are ready to get things done, because here's what you got to remember: When Florida leads, America wins,” he added.
Collins was elected to the state Senate in 2022, beating out an incumbent Democrat in a competitive, newly reshaped district from post-United States Census redistricting.
He had DeSantis’ endorsement, and Collins became a vocal ally of the governor in the Senate.
“Jay has amassed a conservative record that is second to none,” DeSantis said.
Collins also helped run Operation BBQ Relief, a nonprofit group providing meals to disaster-affected communities.
If you have any questions about state government or the legislative process, you can ask the Your Florida team by clicking here.
This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
