Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins announced Monday that he is running for governor in 2026, aiming to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Collins’s candidacy sets him in a Republican primary race that includes U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, who President Donald Trump has endorsed. The announcement also places Collins in the spotlight of a gubernatorial contest in which DeSantis has not made any endorsement, according to the report.
Collins said in a post on X that he is running for Governor because, in his view, “leadership is forged under pressure, not in soundbites.” He added that his “over 23 years in the United States military, mainly as a Green Beret” experience shaped how he leads and why he believes “public office is a public trust.” The lieutenant governor’s announcement framed his pitch around his military background and what he described as accountability and consequences in service.
The article also describes Collins’s personal and career history, saying he has spoken openly about experiencing homelessness while in high school and later joining the Army Special Forces. It says he lost a leg but continued to serve five more years as a Green Beret using a prosthetic leg, citing a campaign biography.
In recent years, Collins has served as the chief operating officer of Operation BBQ Relief, the article says. It describes the organization as one that deploys cooks and mobile kitchens to deliver hot meals in the aftermath of natural disasters. The report also says Collins flew to Israel last June to help support state-funded flights intended to evacuate Americans during missile strikes involving Israel and Iran.
Florida’s lieutenant governor role is largely ceremonial, the report says, with few official responsibilities besides taking over if the governor cannot serve. Collins was first elected to the Florida state Senate in 2022 and has been seen as one of DeSantis’ key allies in the Legislature, the article said.
At a Monday news conference, DeSantis called Collins a “good guy,” but said he had not decided whether he would make any endorsement. DeSantis also said, “If I get involved in the primary, you’ll know it.”
DeSantis was elected governor in 2018 and reelected in 2022, and under Florida law governors can only serve two consecutive four-year terms. With the 2026 race underway, the article lists other Republican primary candidates including Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett, Azoria CEO James Fishback, former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner and activist Bobby Williams.
On the Democratic side, the article lists Orlando Mayor Jerry Demings and former Republican U.S. Rep. David Jolly as candidates.
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