'We're getting close.' Lt. Gov. Jay Collins poised to enter Florida governor's race

Skyler Swisher, Orlando Sentinel on Sep 23, 2025

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Lt. Gov. Jay Collins is poised to enter next year’s race for governor, setting up a clash with President Donald Trump’s top choice for the job, Congressman Byron Donalds.

Collins, a former Republican state senator and Green Beret, appeared Tuesday in Orlando with first lady Casey DeSantis at a press conference outlining the state’s drug-prevention efforts.

After the event, Collins said he’s been encouraged by the feedback he’s received as he weighs whether to run for governor.

“We’re getting really close,” Collins told the Orlando Sentinel. “We’re in the final stages of making a decision. I’m grateful to say my family is in my corner. That’s an absolute blessing.”

Collins, a staunch ally of term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis, said he would consider first lady Casey DeSantis as a running mate if he decides to run. The first lady has also been mentioned as a potential contender for governor, but she hasn’t revealed her political plans.

“Casey is an absolute rock star,” Collins said. “She’s amazing in her role as first lady. Right now, I am focused on doing my job as lieutenant governor. We’ll cross those lines when the time comes.”

DeSantis appointed Collins to the lieutenant governor post last month after Jeanette Nuñez stepped down to become president of Florida International University.

DeSantis, who is working to cement his legacy, has dubbed Collins the “Chuck Norris of Florida politics,” a reference to the action-movie actor. A decorated Army Special Forces combat veteran, Collins suffered injuries that led to the loss of his leg but continued to serve five more years post-amputation using a prosthetic, according to his bio.

A native of Montana, Collins has spoken openly of the hardships he’s overcome, including experiencing homelessness in high school.

Collins was elected to the Florida Senate in 2022, representing a district that includes parts of Tampa and MacDill Air Force Base.

In recent years, he’s served as the chief operating officer of Operation BBQ Relief, a Missouri-based nonprofit that provides emergency meals during disasters. During Collins’ political rise, the nonprofit organization has gotten about $16 million in disaster-relief business from the state of Florida.

Property tax relief is shaping up to be a key issue in the GOP primary. DeSantis is calling for a ballot initiative next year that would eliminate property taxes.

At a campaign event Saturday in Tampa, Donalds, though, expressed concerns about such a move, the Florida Phoenix reported.

“Would I love to eliminate property taxes? Yes,” he said. However: “If we eliminate property taxes in the state of Florida, we’d have to double the sales tax.”

Donalds suggested alternative relief, such as increasing the homestead exemption from $50,000 to between $300,000 and $400,000.

Collins defended DeSantis’ plan, saying Floridians are “yearning, craving, pushing for property tax relief.”

“I am not going to flip flop on who I am. This is not Congress, right?” he said. “This is Florida. We do hard things. I think we that we need to listen to the people, find a way to do it and make it happen.”

Viewed as the early GOP front-runner, Donalds has already raised more than $28 million for his bid for the governor’s mansion, through his campaign account and a political committee.

Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, another Republican, has also announced he’ll run for the job.

On the Democratic side, former Republican U.S. Rep. David Jolly is running, and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings is considering entering the race. . State Sen. Jason Pizzo, who made a dramatic exit from the Democratic Party, said he plans to run as an independent.

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