DeSantis' lieutenant governor pick raises 2026 questions
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Gov. Ron DeSantis' choice of State Sen. Jay Collins (R-Hillsborough) as Florida's next lieutenant governor is sending ripples through the state's political scene and the 2026 race for the governor's mansion.
Why it matters: The appointment fuels speculation that Collins may be DeSantis' preferred successor over U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, teeing up another showdown between the governor and President Trump.
Catch up quick: Trump derailed any succession maneuvering by DeSantis — once seen as a kingmaker in Florida — by throwing his weight behind Donalds before the congressman had even announced.
- DeSantis dismissed Donalds, telling him to prioritize the president's agenda in Congress and stressing that the congressman "wasn't part of any of the victories we've had here over these last years."
- Thanks to the Sunshine State-to-West Wing pipeline and a game of political musical chairs, DeSantis had the rare opportunity to appoint loyalists to almost every elected Florida cabinet post.
Enter Collins, a former Green Beret who spent three years in the state Senate representing Tampa — a seat he won with DeSantis' backing — now replacing Jeanette Nuñez as the governor's second-in-command.
- The post sat vacant for six months after Nuñez became president of Florida International University.
- Meanwhile, chatter about a Casey DeSantis 2026 campaign cooled after a state House investigation into Hope Florida, the welfare assistance program she spearheaded.
Driving the news: Collins hasn't closed the door on a run for governor, and political insiders told Axios he could announce as soon as October.
- He and DeSantis brushed off questions about it during the announcement.
- The governor's office didn't respond to Axios' request for comment. But DeSantis has said he wants his other appointees, the attorney general and the chief financial officer, to remain in office.
What they're saying: U.S. Rep. Randy Fine (R), who supports Donalds but worked with Collins in the state Senate, told Axios that Collins is now "out of the job in a year and a half... so that's a reason he might run."
- "He'll have an extremely difficult time, if that's what he decides to do," Fine said. "Jay is a complete unknown. What I can tell you, as a former state senator, no one knows who you are around the state."
- "This is Trump's Republican Party ... and beyond having his endorsement, Donalds has raised an astonishing amount of money."
Donalds, for his part, congratulated Collins on his appointment on X, saying he wishes him "all the best" — to which Collins replied, "Thank you."
- But when asked about Collins' potential run, Donalds' campaign pointed Axios to Trump's endorsement.
David Jolly, who's running for the Democratic nomination for governor, called Collins an "American hero" in comments to Axios, but said "the DeSantis-Trump proxy war is real."
- "As Democrats, we have a historic opportunity to win statewide this cycle, but we have to unify. Let's let Republicans have their family fight. We have to unify, and I have to do my part to lead that."