DeSantis Snubs Lt. Gov. Collins in Tampa, Dodges Endorsement for Governor Bid

Gov. Ron DeSantis refused to endorse his own Lieutenant Governor, Jay Collins, in the Republican gubernatorial primary — declining to back Collins even when asked the question directly in Collins' hometown of Tampa.

The snub matters to Treasure Coast voters who will help choose Florida's next governor. Collins is one of several Republicans vying to succeed DeSantis in 2026, a race with direct implications for state policies on property insurance, water quality and growth management that shape daily life from Stuart to Vero Beach.

Asked whether he was ready to endorse Collins, DeSantis offered a studied non-answer. "I think everybody knows that when I've got something on my mind that I wanted people to know, that people know," the governor said. "So we're not going to be shy about anything about what we're doing. If I feel the need to do something, I do it. And so you guys can stand by and just watch."

Collins, whom DeSantis once praised as the "Chuck Norris of Florida Politics" when tapping him for the lieutenant governorship, has been left to explain the silence himself. In an April 1 radio interview, Collins argued that jumping into the race too quickly would have undermined his credibility. "You got to show you're competent and capable first before you ask for a promotion," he said.

Collins has gone further, recasting the original appointment as a de facto endorsement. "The Governor has been very clear on Day 1, when he appointed me, he said, Jay is Day 1 ready," Collins said. "That's a pretty strong endorsement stance, if you look at it that way."

Critics note that framing strains credulity. DeSantis has already publicly criticized primary front-runner U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, making his continued silence on Collins all the more conspicuous. An outright endorsement from a sitting governor typically reshapes a primary overnight — and DeSantis has not provided one.

The governor's race remains in its early stages, with the 2026 primary still more than a year away. Whether DeSantis ultimately backs Collins — or anyone — could prove decisive in a crowded field where name recognition and money are still sorting themselves out.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.