DeSantis picks state Sen. Jay Collins to be Florida's lieutenant governor
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tapped Republican state Sen. Jay Collins to be his next lieutenant governor Tuesday. It's a closely watched appointment by the two-term governor, who can't run for reelection in 2026 and has been working to cement his legacy as his time leading the state winds down.
If Collins, an Army combat veteran and nonprofit executive, decides to launch a bid to succeed DeSantis, the move could tee up another proxy fight between the popular GOP governor and President Donald Trump, who has already endorsed U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds for the job.
During a news conference announcing his pick at the Green Beret Association in Tampa on Tuesday, DeSantis praised Collins as an 'ally' and a principled conservative.
'What I was looking for is someone that can be lieutenant governor that will help us deliver more wins for the people of Florida — and then also that is capable of serving and leading as governor, if that need were ever to arise,' the governor said during the news conference in Tampa, which Collins represents.
Collins was sworn in minutes after the announcement, with his wife Layla and their two young sons at his side, while the governor and first lady Casey DeSantis looked on.
Collins pledged to help deliver on DeSantis' agenda, which he said has made Florida the country's 'conservative proving grounds."
"The goal is to help him finish the mission and keep Florida strong," Collins said of DeSantis, adding, 'you don't flinch when the next mission comes up. You just say, 'Yes, sir. Let's go.''
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 using a prosthetic leg post-amputation, according to a campaign biography.
Taking the stage Tuesday, Collins made light of the injury he sustained, saying he was proud to serve the country that afforded him so many opportunities.
'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,' Collins said.
In recent years, Collins has served as the chief operating officer of Operation BBQ Relief, which deploys cooks and mobile kitchens to deliver hot meals in the aftermath of natural disasters. In June, Collins also flew to Israel to help support state-funded flights to evacuate Americans as Israel and Iran traded missile strikes.
"Why would you want to go in to Israel when Iran is raining rockets down? Most people would take a pass on that," DeSantis said of Collins, calling him 'the Chuck Norris of Florida politics.'
The seat had been vacant since February, when then-lieutenant governor Jeanette Nuñez was appointed to lead one of the state's public universities. In Florida, the lieutenant governor position is largely ceremonial with few official responsibilities, apart from taking over if the governor cannot serve.
Collins 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.
The appointment is seen as a way for DeSantis to elevate a potential successor in 2026, though the governor has repeatedly talked up his wife, Casey DeSantis, for the job, while taking shots at Trump's pick.
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Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Kate Payne, The Associated Press
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