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.

https://apnews.com/article/florida-lieutenant-governor-jay-collins-appointment-desantis-61c7ae81f347b6a12b64907006929752