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Governors

DeSantis Endorses Lt. Gov. Collins as Compelling Candidate for Governor

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Lt. Gov. Jay Collins made their second appearance in Tampa in as many days, delivering a press conference at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department, where DeSantis handed out $5,000 recruitment bonus checks to over three dozen sheriff's deputies. During the event, DeSantis expressed confidence in Collins' ability to serve as governor, saying he believed Collins had "the ingredients" to be a compelling candidate who could "grab attention." This statement has sparked speculation about Collins' potential future in politics, particularly as a potential candidate to succeed DeSantis as governor.

Key Takeaways:

  • DeSantis acknowledged Collins as a compelling candidate who could "grab attention" for the governorship, indicating potential support for Collins in the 2026 Republican primary.
  • DeSantis emphasized that Collins has "the ingredients" to be an effective governor, suggesting he believes Collins has the qualities necessary to succeed in the position.
  • Collins has been appointed to serve as lieutenant governor for the remainder of DeSantis' second term, sparking speculation about his potential future in politics.
  • First Lady Casey DeSantis' potential candidacy for governor has been a long-standing speculation, but DeSantis denied any indication that she was no longer considering a run.
  • DeSantis and Collins chose not to answer questions about Collins' potential candidacy on Tuesday, instead focusing on presenting the new lieutenant governor to the public.

Statistics:

  • DeSantis has handed out over $5,000 recruitment bonus checks to more than three dozen Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies.
  • Collins' campaign-style video produced by a political committee chaired by the new lieutenant governor has been viewed by people who previously didn't know anything about Collins.
  • Byron Donalds has raised more than $22 million for his 2026 gubernatorial campaign at this point.
  • First Lady Casey DeSantis has not publicly made any statements about her potential candidacy for governor.

Sources:

  • Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix, photo of DeSantis and Collins
  • Florida Phoenix, "Ron DeSantis selects Jay Collins to serve as lieutenant governor of Florida" (link to original article)
  • Twitter, @RonDeSantis (link to campaign-style video of Collins)
  • Florida Department of State, "Comprehensive Campaign Finance" (link to committee information for Jay Collins' political committee)
  • Arizona Contingency, "DeSantis Ignoring Questions About Casey's Potential Bid" (article mentioning Casey DeSantis)

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