Today, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that he has appointed Jay Collins as Lieutenant Governor of Florida.
“Today, I was proud to appoint Jay Collins as Florida’s new lieutenant governor,” DeSantis said. “A combat-engaged warrior who served as a Green Beret for 23 years, Jay embodies Florida grit. Since retiring from the Army, Jay Collins has led disaster relief missions to help rescue Floridians at risk.
Jay is a non-apologetic fighter for conservative values. I look forward to working with him to keep Florida first. ”
Before serving as lieutenant governor, Collins represented Florida’s 14th Senate District, including West Hillsboro County. Born in Scobey, Montana, Collins received a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from the US Military College and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Norwich University. Before entering politics, he dedicated 23 years to the US Army Special Forces as a Green Beret in his deployment to Afghanistan, Iraq and South America. During his service in Afghanistan, he was seriously injured and resulted in the amputation of one of his legs. Surprisingly, he recertified as a fully deployable green beret and retired with honors, including the achievements of Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Legion.
Collins moved to public services and was elected to the Florida Senate in 2022, beating current position Janet Cruz. In the Senate, he chaired the Transportation Committee and participated in various committees including joint spending, ethics and election monitoring, Pre-K and military issues. He also sponsored laws such as Senate Bill 918, which aimed to allow teenagers, including graduates and homeschooled students, to work long hours.
Collins is known for his strong support from Governor DeSantis, and has often been called “Chuck Norris of Florida politics” for his conservative leadership and active involvement in emergency situations, including Israel and Iran’s conflict rescue efforts.
Collins’ predecessor, Janet Nunez, served as Florida’s 20th lieutenant governor from January 8, 2019 until he resigned from February 16, 2025.
