FLORIDA’S LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR JAY COLLINS MADE IT OFFICIAL. HE IS RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR. WESH NEWS TONY ATKINS LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM TO BREAK DOWN WHERE THE CROWDED RACE STANDS NOW. TONY. WELL, JESSE, SO FAR, 33 OTHER PEOPLE HAVE OFFICIALLY ENTERED THIS MASSIVE RACE. AND COLLINS, WHO IS RUNNING AS A REPUBLICAN, WILL RUN AGAINST ANOTHER REPUBLICAN WHO HAS THE BACKING OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. FLORIDA LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR JAY COLLINS, THE LATEST GOP CANDIDATE MAKING A PUSH TO BECOME THE SUNSHINE STATE’S NEXT LEADER. CURRENT GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS, SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF COLLINS TODAY BUT NO OFFICIAL ENDORSEMENT YET. JAY’S A GOOD GUY. HE SERVED THIS COUNTRY ADMIRABLY AS A AS A GREEN BERET. HE HAS A GREAT CONSERVATIVE RECORD IN THE FLORIDA SENATE. ACCORDING TO STATE RECORDS, COLLINS IS NOW THE 34TH ENTRANT INTO THE RACE. OTHER NOTABLE NAMES INCLUDE U.S. CONGRESSMAN BYRON DONALDS, WHO SAYS HE HOPES TO KEEP FLORIDA’S MOMENTUM GOING. I THINK MOST VOTERS, INCLUDING THE ONES WHO ARE HERE WITH US TODAY, THEIR BIGGEST THING OVERALL IS ARE WE GOING TO KEEP GOING? THIS IS NOT A RIGHT OR LEFT MOMENT, BUT A RIGHT OR WRONG MOMENT. ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR JERRY DEMINGS, WHO ENTERED THE RACE DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, HIS CAMPAIGN SENT ME THIS STATEMENT SAYING IN PART THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE CROWDED FIELD OF CANDIDATES. THEY ALSO ADD THAT THEY’RE LOOKING TO EXPAND FUNDRAISING THIS YEAR. THAT’S WHAT PEOPLE WANT OUT OF A GOVERNOR. THEY WANT LESS TALK, MORE ACTION. AND THAT’S HOW I’VE GOVERNED MYSELF. ANOTHER CANDIDATE, FORMER FLORIDA HOUSE SPEAKER PAUL RENNER, HOPING TO CURRY REPUBLICAN, VOTES AWAY FROM TRUMP, BACKED DONALDS. HE’S JUST TAKEN POSITIONS THAT ARE OUT OF SYNC WITH REPUBLICAN VOTERS, AND THAT WILL COME TO LIGHT ONCE THIS CAMPAIGN MOVES FORWARD. AND I ALSO REACHED OUT TO A NUMBER OF OTHER CANDIDATES WHO HAVE ALREADY ENTERED THIS RACE FOR THEIR RESPONSE ABOUT HOW MASSIVE THIS IS AND THEIR VISION
Lt. Gov. Jay Collins officially enters Florida governor race
Updated: 10:29 PM EST Jan 12, 2026
After months of speculation, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, a Republican and former Green Beret, announced his candidacy this week, becoming the 34th person to file for the 2026 race, according to state records.Collins joins a crowded Republican primary that already includes U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, who has the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. While Gov. Ron DeSantis has not formally endorsed a candidate, he spoke favorably of Collins. “Jay’s a good guy. He served this country admirably as a Green Beret. He has a great conservative record in the Florida Senate,” DeSantis said.Donalds, a U.S. congressman from Southwest Florida, has said he wants to continue what he calls the state’s current momentum.“I think most voters, their biggest thing overall is, are we going to keep going?” Donalds said in a recent interview.Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner is also seeking the Republican nomination. He has positioned himself as an alternative to Donalds, saying voters want “less talk, more action,” and criticizing what he described as positions by Donalds that are “out of sync with Republican voters.”On the Democratic side, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings entered the race during the holiday season. His campaign says it is preparing for a competitive and expensive contest.In a statement, Demings’ campaign acknowledged the large field of candidates and said it is focused on expanding fundraising efforts in the coming year.“This is not a left or right moment. This is a right or wrong moment in our history,” Demings said during a campaign speech in December.
After months of speculation, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, a Republican and former Green Beret, announced his candidacy this week, becoming the 34th person to file for the 2026 race, according to state records.
Collins joins a crowded Republican primary that already includes U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, who has the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. While Gov. Ron DeSantis has not formally endorsed a candidate, he spoke favorably of Collins.
“Jay’s a good guy. He served this country admirably as a Green Beret. He has a great conservative record in the Florida Senate,” DeSantis said.
Donalds, a U.S. congressman from Southwest Florida, has said he wants to continue what he calls the state’s current momentum.
“I think most voters, their biggest thing overall is, are we going to keep going?” Donalds said in a recent interview.
Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner is also seeking the Republican nomination. He has positioned himself as an alternative to Donalds, saying voters want “less talk, more action,” and criticizing what he described as positions by Donalds that are “out of sync with Republican voters.”
On the Democratic side, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings entered the race during the holiday season. His campaign says it is preparing for a competitive and expensive contest.
In a statement, Demings’ campaign acknowledged the large field of candidates and said it is focused on expanding fundraising efforts in the coming year.
“This is not a left or right moment. This is a right or wrong moment in our history,” Demings said during a campaign speech in December.