Jay Collins
Governor
FL Governor 2026
Jay Collins is the sitting Lieutenant Governor of Florida and a decorated U.S. Army Special Forces veteran, running as the "day one ready" candidate in the 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary. Born April 28, 1976 in Scobey, Montana, he experienced homelessness in high school before enlisting in the Army in 1995. He served over 23 years as a Green Beret, deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and South America, and continued serving for five more years after losing a leg in combat, using a prosthetic. He was appointed Lt. Governor in August 2025 by DeSantis, succeeding Jeanette Nuñez, after serving in the Florida Senate since 2022. Collins entered the governor's race on January 12, 2026, running against Trump-endorsed frontrunner Byron Donalds. His fundraising has been limited — reports indicate a single donor accounted for more than half of his early total — and he polls at approximately 4%.
Veterans & Military
Expand veteran employment pipelines and modernize veteran services
- Sponsored the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs Modernization Act in the Florida Senate
- Built veteran-to-employer connection programs during his Senate tenure
- Served as COO of Operation BBQ Relief, coordinating disaster meal relief deployments
Second Amendment
Expand gun rights; eliminate concealed carry permitting requirements
- Sponsored the Florida permitless concealed carry bill (SB 150), signed into law by DeSantis in 2023
- Consistent A-rated NRA voting record in the Florida Senate
Agriculture & Infrastructure
Protect Florida farmland; invest in transportation infrastructure
- Chaired the Florida Senate Agriculture and Transportation Committees
- Championed legislation banning cultivated (lab-grown) meat in Florida
- Backed infrastructure investment connecting Florida's tourism and agriculture sectors
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