Jay Collins, Green Beret turned lieutenant governor, announces run for Florida governor
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Jay Collins, Florida’s lieutenant governor and a former U.S. Army Green Beret, declared Monday on social media that he’s running for governor.
Collins stated in his post that leadership is “forged under pressure, not in soundbites.”
Collins’s announcement sets the stage for a high-stakes Republican primary to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2026. The lieutenant governor enters a crowded field that includes U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, and investor James Fishback. Early polling shows Donalds as the frontrunner, buoyed by support from President Donald Trump, while Collins is banking on his military credentials and conservative record to gain traction.
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Before entering politics, Collins spent more than two decades in the Army, primarily as a Green Beret, according to the governor's office. After losing a leg in combat, Collins continued to serve, earning a reputation for resilience and leadership under pressure. He later transitioned to public office, winning a state Senate seat in 2022 and being appointed lieutenant governor by DeSantis in 2025.
DeSantis has praised Collins’s record but has not endorsed a candidate, leaving speculation about whether the governor will back Collins or enter the race himself. For now, Collins is positioning his campaign as a call for principled leadership rooted in experience.
On the Democratic side, the field is also taking shape. Jerry Demings, the mayor of Orange County since 2018 and husband of former U.S. Representative Val Demings, has declared his candidacy, along with David Jolly, a former Republican congressman from Florida’s 13th district who has since switched parties. Their entry signals a competitive general election as Democrats aim to reclaim the governor’s mansion after decades of Republican control.
The Republican primary is scheduled for August 18, with the general election on November 3.
