After roughly six months, Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis finally decided on his next lieutenant governor: state Sen. Jarrid “Jay” Collins.
The governor said on Aug. 12 in Tampa that he considered two things when making his decision. First, the person had to be “strong on policy,” with a “record of delivering big conservative results.” Second, the person had to be “somebody that’s going to run towards the fire,” not sit on the fence or fear criticism.
“It’s about performance and record and deeds, and Jay, on that measure, has amassed a stellar record, and I believe he will continue to be an outstanding leader in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said.
The new lieutenant governor, who was sworn into office in a ceremony at the Tampa Green Beret Association’s Team House in Tampa, affirmed that his mission was to continue to “keep Florida free” and build on what DeSantis, a Republican, has done to preserve the quality of life and foster growth.
“Friends, the battlefield, it may change, but the mission stays the same,” Collins said. ”We are going to protect and preserve every single thing that matters. We will not stop our fight. We will not slow down. We will continue to take the fight forward, because this is not politics. It is about people.”
A Republican and former Green Beret, Collins has represented Florida’s District 14, which consists of a large part of Hillsborough County, including most of the city of Tampa, since 2022. He won reelection in 2024 despite the area being previously known for voting Democrat.
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