Florida Lt. Gov. would consider Casey DeSantis as running mate if he enters 2026 race
Florida Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins is considering running for governor in the 2026 election and has mentioned the possibility of choosing Casey DeSantis, Florida’s first lady and wife of outgoing Governor Ron DeSantis, as his running mate. Collins has not yet officially declared his candidacy but may announce as soon as October. He praised Casey DeSantis as “brilliant” and “hardworking” and emphasized the importance of building a strong team.
The Republican primary field is competitive, with eight declared candidates including Rep. Byron Donalds, who has President Donald Trump’s endorsement, and former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, whose candidacy was called “ill-advised” by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Collins,a former special forces soldier and state senator appointed as lieutenant governor in 2025,stressed that competition among candidates is healthy and that his run would provide voters with more choices.
Casey DeSantis has not ruled out running for governor herself, and Gov. Ron DeSantis has not yet endorsed any candidate in the race. On the Democratic side, former Republican Congressman David Jolly, who recently switched parties, is viewed as the leading potential candidate.
The Republican primary is set for August 18, 2026, followed by the general election on November 3, 2026.
Florida Lt. Gov. would consider Casey DeSantis as running mate if he enters 2026 race
Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins says he is considering asking the state’s first lady, Casey DeSantis, to be his running mate as he nears a potential bid announcement to be Florida’s next governor.
Collins has not yet officially announced his candidacy for the 2026 gubernatorial election, but if he does decide to announce a bid, it could come as soon as October, he told Politico. Collins would be joining eight other declared candidates in the Republican primary field.
Collins called DeSantis “brilliant” and “hardworking,” according to the outlet’s report.
“When you go into a fight, you bring your capable warriors with you,” Collins said. “Casey is very gifted. There are many other people who are gifted. And when we make the decision on jumping into the race, we’ll then qualify and quantify who those people are. I am not in the business of excluding people because of any other reason.”
DeSantis has also not yet ruled out a run of her own to be her term-limited husband’s successor. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has not yet made an endorsement in the race.
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) secured President Donald Trump’s endorsement in the race in early 2025. Former Republican Florida House Speaker Paul Renner declared his candidacy in early September. Though Renner has a long history of working with Ron DeSantis and for his agenda in the state house, the governor still called Renner’s candidacy “an ill-advised decision.”
Collins, a former member of the U.S. Army’s special forces, resigned from his role as a state senator in August after DeSantis appointed him to be lieutenant governor. The position was vacant for six months after former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez resigned in early 2025 to become interim president of Florida International University.
Collins has publicly tossed around the idea of running for governor since becoming lieutenant governor.
“If I jump in, it’s because I believe my approach is what’s best for the state of Florida,” Collins said. “My family is with me. They support me doing this unequivocally. We have come to grips with this. We’ve thought about it, we’ve prayed about it … We’re comfortable with however this turns out.”
Collins said he is not worried about conflict between the state and Trump if he, as Ron DeSantis’s lieutenant governor, challenges Trump-backed Donalds.
“We’re all on the same team,” Collins said.
“Competition drives excellence,” he added. “If you’re the guy, then you’re in a fair competition. Step up and fight. I love President Trump. I voted for him three times.… I don’t think it’s one of these things where it’s Team Trump versus Team DeSantis. This is Team America.”
Collins previously said when asked about a potential run that he believes people need more choices on the ballot.
“Look, I know Byron. I have nothing against him as a person. We’ve had a lot of conversation. But the reason I’m exploring this is because I think, one, people need choices,” Collins said.
The candidate seen as most likely to win the gubernatorial Democratic primary race is David Jolly, a former Republican U.S. representative who became a Democrat this year.
Florida voters have 11 months to the day to decide which candidates they want to face off in the general, as the primary election day will be held on Aug. 18, 2026. The general election will be held on Nov. 3, 2026.
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