‘Chuck Norris of Florida Politics’: Collins Named Lieutenant Governor

TAMPA, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis has picked his new number two. As expected, the state’s chief executive tapped fellow Republican, State Sen. Jay Collins (R-Tampa), during a press event at the Tampa Green Beret Association.

Collins, a former Green Beret and close DeSantis ally in the state Senate, has built a reputation as a staunch supporter of gun rights and veterans’ issues. He has sponsored bills to expand access to firearms, sought to roll back restrictions passed after the 2018 Parkland school shooting, and lower the state’s minimum gun purchase age back to 18.

WATCH Gov. DeSantis selects Sen. Jay Collins as new Lt. Governor

The lieutenant governor’s office has been vacant since February, when Jeanette Nuñez resigned to become president of Florida International University. The Republican Party of Florida was quick to praise her replacement.

“The Republican Party of Florida proudly congratulates State Senator and decorated Army Green Beret Jay Collins on his appointment,” said Chairman Evan Power. “In the Florida Senate, he has been a strong and reliable advocate for supporting families, preserving community values, and protecting individual freedoms.”

Collins served over two decades in the Army Special Forces, earning the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Legion of Merit, and even re-enlisting as a Green Beret after losing a leg. After retiring, he founded a nonprofit supporting veterans, first responders, and Floridians in need.

In remarks following Tuesday’s swearing in, Collins reflected on his rise from a childhood in a trailer park to the second-highest office in the state.

“I didn't grow up with privilege or wealth. I was adopted, raised by my grandparents,” he said. “In our nation, you're not defined by that. There are opportunities ahead of everybody… When you’ve lived a life of service… you don’t flinch when that next mission comes up. You just say, ‘Yes sir, let’s go.’”

He pledged to continue the administration’s priorities — keeping Florida’s economy strong, supporting law enforcement, enforcing immigration laws, and resisting “failed policies” from Washington.

“Florida doesn’t back down. We don’t turn our backs,” Collins said. “We step up and we serve and we lead… That’s the Florida way.”

DeSantis described Collins as “the Chuck Norris of Florida politics,” citing his combat service in Iraq and Afghanistan, his disaster relief work, and his personal role in helping rescue stranded Floridians during the Israel-Hamas war.

“You need somebody that’s going to run towards the fire,” DeSantis said. “He has delivered conservative wins, and I think has been one of the most productive senators we have had in modern Florida history.”

In 2022, Collins flipped a Democratic-held Senate seat in a double-digit win over Janet Cruz. His legislative record has kept him firmly aligned with DeSantis’ agenda.

“Obviously, the governor is brilliant. I love his approach,” Collins told us last month. “He and I agree on pretty much everything. I'm not even really sure if there's anything we've had a real disagreement on yet.”

That loyalty is exactly what worries some Democrats.

“I think DeSantis is someone who has been very thoughtful about leaving his mark on Florida government, and unfortunately, that has come at the expense of the people,” said House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell. “I would hope that his lieutenant governor would be someone who could whisper in his ear… and say, ‘Hey man, don't do this… it’s harmful to the people of Florida.’”

Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried went further, criticizing both the delay in naming a replacement and Collins’ perceived political alignment with the governor.

“What Ron DeSantis has done over the last few months is show how little respect he has for the position of Lieutenant Governor,” Fried said. “It doesn’t really matter who he appoints there, as long as it was somebody who was going to be loyal to Ron DeSantis… all they’re doing is going to continue the DeSantis administration’s agenda, not the agenda of the people.”

Fried argued that DeSantis’ appointment was more about his political legacy than governance, calling Collins “a foot soldier for DeSantis” and virtually unknown to most Floridians. She also tied the choice to the emerging 2026 gubernatorial race, suggesting DeSantis had been weighing whether his wife Casey could challenge U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds.

“Byron is capturing more endorsements from Republicans here in the state of Florida and across the country,” she said, adding Democrats will meet any GOP nominee with “a strong, united, Democratic front.”

Donalds, backed by former President Donald Trump, is emerging as the early GOP frontrunner. A University of North Florida poll last month showed Donalds within the margin of error against First Lady Casey DeSantis in a hypothetical primary matchup — with Donalds holding a 15-point lead among likely Republican voters.

While Collins’ new post could give him a platform to mount his own gubernatorial bid, polling shows him starting far behind. Gov. DeSantis has yet to endorse a successor, and his relationship with Trump, while warmer than it’s been, remains somewhat politically cool — adding another layer of intrigue to Collins’ elevation.