Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins on Monday announced that he is running for governor in hopes of succeeding Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is term-limited.
Collins served as a state senator before being tapped by DeSantis to be the next lieutenant governor after then-lieutenant governor Jeanette Nuñez was appointed to be the next president of Florida International University.
In a post on Facebook, Collins wrote the following:
“I’m running for Governor 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. That experience shaped how I lead and why I believe public office is a public trust.”
Collins’ decision to run for governor could tee up another proxy fight between the popular GOP governor and President Donald Trump, who has already endorsed Republican Congressman Byron Donalds for the job.
He was first elected to Florida’s Republican-dominated state Senate in 2022 and has been seen as one of DeSantis’ key allies in the Legislature. In recent months, GOP legislators loyal to the president have increasingly sparred with the governor, who challenged Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Born in Montana, Collins has talked openly about personal challenges he has overcome, including experiencing homelessness while in high school. He went on to join the Army Special Forces and ultimately lost a leg, but continued to serve five more years as a Green Beret post-amputation, according to a campaign biography.
Florida’s primary elections will take place on Aug. 18, while the general election is on Nov. 3.
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