Hailed by Gov. Ron DeSantis as the “Chuck Norris of Florida politics,” state Sen. Jay Collins has now been sworn in as the state’s new Lieutenant Governor.
Collins vowed to continue pushing for DeSantis’ agenda, including parental rights and immigration enforcement.
“I am truly honored to be appointed by the Governor — not just any Governor, Florida’s Governor, America’s Governor, the GOAT — to help him finish the mission and keep Florida strong,” Collins said at the Tampa ceremony. “We will not slow down.”
Collins replaces Jeanette Nuñez, who left to become President of Florida International University.
DeSantis said he wanted Nuñez’s successor to be someone strong on policy and a staunch conservative who knows how to deliver results.
“He’s been a man of action,” DeSantis said of Collins. “He has delivered conservative wins, and I think has been one of the most productive senators we have had in modern Florida history.”
Collins’ appointment comes amid lingering questions over who will replace the term-limited DeSantis.
As Casey DeSantis deals with the fallout from Hope Florida, Collins is emerging as a possibility to go up against the President Donald Trump-endorsed U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds in the 2026 Republican Primary.
Collins was first elected to the Senate in 2022 after a military career that included winning the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. He was also wounded in action, with the injury costing Collins his leg.
“I think most people at that point would simply take a medical retirement and move on to a different segment of life, but Jay decided to re-up as a Green Beret using a prosthetic leg,” DeSantis said.
Collins was the sponsor behind a 2023 bill blocking China, Russia, Syria and other “countries of concern” from buying or holding interest in land within 20 miles of military bases, power plants and other critical infrastructure.
Collins also got involved to help rescue people who were trapped in Israel as conflicts there escalated.
The Tampa Republican has become a strong ally of DeSantis, often appearing at his side to support the Governor’s agenda, from eliminating property taxes to defending Hope Florida, the controversial charity supported by the First Lady.
Speaking after being sworn in, Collins described his life story and said he had overcome his humble beginnings to later devote his life to service. He was adopted and raised by his grandparents, growing up in a trailer.
“I didn’t grow up with privilege or wealth,” Collins said.
DeSantis’ critics slammed the appointment.
“As Lame Duck Ron watches the sand slip through the hourglass of his political relevancy, the list of politicians willing to be associated with his failed agenda of higher costs and fewer freedoms has dwindled,” DeSantis Watch Communications Director Anders Croy said in a statement.
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