ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) \u2014 Lt. Gov. Jay Collins visited Pinellas County on Monday to host a news conference to dispel rumors that he\u2019s dropping out of Florida\u2019s gubernatorial race.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are not suspending our campaign,\u201d Collins said.<\/p>\n
After canceling an event in Southwest Florida, rumors started to swirl that Collins would exit the race.<\/p>\n
A recent Emerson College poll showed Collins trailing by double digits behind the leading republican candidate, Rep. Byron Donalds, who is endorsed by President Trump.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolling indicates a serious risk of David Jolly becoming the next governor of Florida if Byron is the republican nominee,\u201d Collins said.<\/p>\n
The Emerson poll shows a tight general election race between Democrat David Jolly and Donalds, if he\u2019s awarded the republican nomination.<\/p>\n
Collins is banking on a seven-figure statewide ad buy about his background to close the gap between him and Donalds ahead of the republican primary.<\/p>\n
While in Sarasota for a campaign visit, Donalds said he is confident that he will be the nominee.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Florida, we built a very strong foundation of being a common-sense conservative state, and that\u2019s not going to change,\u201d Donalds said.<\/p>\n
A democrat has not been elected as governor in Florida since Lawton Chiles in 1990 and re-elected to a second term.<\/p>\n
In a race that\u2019s quickly heating up, Donalds responded to increased attacks from the Collins campaign.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s kind of sad to see desperation, but this is what happens in other campaigns when things are not going well,\u201d Donalds said.<\/p>\n
Collins has recently taken aim at Donalds\u2019 history with marijuana, accusing him of not being upfront about his past.<\/p>\n
\u201cBryon Donalds sold drugs to people, to children, and now he believes he is fit to be the governor of the state of Florida,\u201d Collins said.<\/p>\n
Donalds pushed back by denying he ever kept his past hidden. Collins said the congressman only talked about possessing weed and never spoke about selling it until recently questioned.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been very clear. Very direct. Very open,\u201d Donalds said. \u00a0\u201cWe don\u2019t just judge people based upon the mistakes they make when they\u2019re very young. We judge them over their entire life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner wants more answers about a close friend of Donalds, Rep. Cory Mills, from Central Florida. Mills is being investigated by the House Ethics Committee after claims of sexual misconduct and dating violence.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe clear point of what we voted for two months ago is that the investigation move forward. I believe Congressman Mills is in front of the ethics committee. That\u2019s going through its process right now. We\u2019ll see what the ethics committee comes back with,\u201d Donalds said.<\/p>\n
Democratic Gubernatorial candidate David Jolly released a statement about the recent war of words:<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are building a coalition of Democrats, independents, and Republicans, ready to change the direction of Florida. My Republican friends are having a hard family conversation right now, and I welcome the November contest against whomever they choose to nominate.\u201d<\/p>\n
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