Lt. Gov. Jay Collins tapped a longtime Florida emergency chief as his running mate a day before Tuesday's Republican primary election for Florida governor.
Collins chose Florida Department of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie to "serve, lead, and deliver for Florida," he wrote in a social media post.
In another social media post, Collins cited Guthrie's history of leading Florida "through hurricanes, disasters, and some of our toughest moments."
"This office will not be ceremonial," Collins wrote. "Together, we will protect our infrastructure, protect our people, and make sure Florida is ready for whatever comes next."
Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Guthrie as emergency management director in 2021. In that time, he directed the state's response to disasters, including the 2024 hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton.
Guthrie officially resigned from his position on Thursday. DeSantis said he wished Guthrie luck, but politics and emergency management don't mix.
“If people want to choose politics, more power to them,” DeSantis said at an event in Sarasota. “I didn't necessarily think that was something that Kevin aspired to, but given that he's doing that, I think it's important that we have emergency management just focused on emergency management.”
DeSantis said he tapped Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue to replace Guthrie. A spokeswoman for the governor’s office said Perdue will be FDEM director and remain transportation secretary.
While Florida has not experienced a hurricane since 2024, hurricane season lasts until Nov. 30. DeSantis said the leadership switch would not hinder the state’s emergency responsiveness.
“It's a well-oiled machine,” DeSantis said. “We've got a lot of great people over there. We're not going to miss a beat. But I don't want to be in a situation where there's politics and emergency management. I think you got to choose one or the other.”
Before being the emergency management director, Guthrie served 23 years as a police officer and emergency preparedness coordinator for the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office before moving to public safety positions in Flagler and Pasco counties.
Collins is part of a crowded GOP field seeking to replace DeSantis, who is term-limited and cannot run again. Others include U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, former state House Speaker Paul Renner and investor James Fishback.
News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
