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DeSantis set to pick Florida's new LG — and a possible 2026 governor candidate
Gov. DeSantis plans to make his announcement Tuesday, according to four people familiar with the planning, granted anonymity to relay private conversations.
Two of the people confirmed the press conference is scheduled to occur at the Tampa Green Beret Association.
The location is symbolic given Collins' military service; he served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan during his 23 years in the military, and he had part of his leg amputated during his military service. Collins then requalified and spent five additional years with the Green Berets.
Collins is one of the governor's top allies in the state Legislature. In recent months, he has publicly defended Hope Florida — the effort spearheaded by Casey DeSantis — as it came under scrutiny by the Republican-supermajority House. Collins also traveled to the Middle East in June to help organize DeSantis' rescue flights to help Americans fleeing Israel.
Several possible contenders had been bandied about in the months since Nuñez left, but Collins shot to the top of the list due in part to his never-wavering interest in the position. 'If the governor asks me to do that, you serve your state. How do you say no to that?' Collins previously told POLITICO.
The governor had considered two former Florida House speakers for the job: Republicans Jose Oliva and Richard Corcoran. The governor's office declined to share information about the event, but POLITICO previously reported that DeSantis waffled on Collins because he thought he was treating an appointment like a foregone conclusion.
