Florida's Lt. Governor Jay Collins is putting his hat in the ring to succeed Ron DeSantis as governor.
On social media, the Tampa Republican confirmed his bid for the role, saying he's running because "leadership is forged under pressure, not in soundbites."
"I served over 23 years in the United States military, mainly as a Green Beret, where accountability is real, decisions have consequences, and service comes before self," Collins wrote. "That experience shaped how I lead and why I believe public office is a public trust."
Collins' bid comes months after DeSantis picked him to be the state's lieutenant governor. It's a mainly ceremonial role, but he's next up in line of succession if the current governor is no longer able to serve.
ALSO READ: Florida has a new lieutenant governor, Jay Collins. What do they do?
“Friends, the battlefield, it may change, but the mission stays the same — we are going to protect and preserve everything that matters,” Collins said upon his appointment. “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.”
According to his bio, Collins is a decorated Army Special Forces combat veteran who sustained debilitating injuries, leading to him losing his leg. He then served five more years following his amputation as a Green Beret.
After that, he started a position with Operation BBQ Relief, which is a nonprofit group that provides meals to disaster-affected communities.
He then became a Florida state senator in 2022 with DeSantis' endorsement. He was also a vocal ally of the governor during this time. According to his bio, he authored and passed more than 55 bills and secured over $120 million in funding to "uplift the Tampa Bay region, support Florida’s first responders and veterans, and invest in premier educational institutions."
Prominent Republican contenders for the 2026 race include: Rep. Byron Donalds — who has President Donald Trump's endorsement — investor James Fishback and former House Speaker Paul Renner. Those on the Democratic side include Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and former Republican congressman turned Democrat David Jolly.
During a Monday afternoon press conference in the Florida Capitol, Collins said he's "been told many times that the road was too far, the mountain was too difficult and too high."
"It started when I was a kid growing up on the wrong side of the tracks, so to speak," he said. "Didn't have a whole lot of opportunity."
ALSO READ: Gubernatorial candidate David Jolly speaks on housing, property taxes and immigration
Indeed, Collins will face a high mountain.
A Jan. 9 poll from Fabrizio, Lee and Associates, which handled Trump's campaign, found that Donalds would still be the top GOP candidate even if First Lady Casey DeSantis or Collins got in the race. It was a hypothetical four-way primary that found Donalds being ahead of the first lady by 13 points (39% to 26%). According to a release, 31% of people were undecided. When they found out Trump endorsed him, then 15% were undecided.
According to the release, Collins, Fishback and Renner polled in the single digits. Donalds' lead was predicted to widen if Casey DeSantis and Collins did not get in the race.
In a response to Collins entering the race, Ryan Smith — chief strategist for the Byron Donalds for Governor campaign — predicts that anyone running against Donalds will be defeated in the primary.
“Trump-endorsed Byron Donalds is the only proven conservative fighter who can unite Republicans, deliver on the President’s America First agenda, crush the Democrats, and make Florida more affordable," Smith said in a prepared statement. "Anyone running against Byron is an anti-Trump RINO and will be soundly defeated in the Republican primary."
Meanwhile, Kevin Donohue — spokesman for the Democratic Governors Association — released the following statement:
“Two decades of failed Republican rule have left Florida with skyrocketing costs — and Ron DeSantis’ right-hand man Jay Collins would only make things worse," the statement read. "Floridians want real solutions, but Collins and his Republican opponents only offer more of the failed status quo that has left working families behind and turned Florida into one of the least affordable states in the country. With Collins in the race, Republicans are set to spend the next eight months locked in a brutal and expensive race to the right that will damage whoever wins the nomination.”
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.
