TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Lt. Gov. Jay Collins has positioned himself as the natural successor to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on his campaign trail. However, recent events have significantly strained his relationship with the governor.
Recently, top aides to DeSantis and state Attorney General James Uthmeier criticized Collins over allegations that his wife operated anonymous social media accounts to criticize DeSantis for not endorsing Collins in the gubernatorial race—claims the Collinses have denied.
While DeSantis has not commented, a senior administration official in Tallahassee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described Collins as a “constant source of drama and toxicity.”
“The governor offered Jay a platform to succeed, but instead of heeding the governor’s advice, he and his wife engaged in ongoing attacks on DeSantis’ staff and allies,” the official stated. “This behavior has now resulted in an embarrassing debate performance and possibly the end of Jay’s political career.”
Collins, appointed to his current position by DeSantis last year, argued in a statement that “Gov. DeSantis has received misleading information from individuals who do not want him involved in this race. I know for a fact that some of his staff have actively undermined me and my wife to tarnish our reputations.”
He continued, “These are the same individuals who admitted to supporting a fringe candidate before I even entered the race. This narrative is simply a continuation of that theme.” Collins’ comments refer to an incident where Christina Pushaw, a longtime DeSantis aide, acknowledged advising James Fishback, a Republican candidate critical of frontrunner Rep. Byron Donalds, a decision she later regretted.
Collins, previously a state senator and Green Beret, and a strong ally of DeSantis, was once described by the governor as the “Chuck Norris of Florida politics.” DeSantis appointed him following Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez’s move to Florida International University as president.
Initially, DeSantis praised Collins as his new deputy, but his support waned as Collins considered running against Trump-endorsed Donalds for governor. DeSantis has refrained from endorsing Donalds despite backing from other top Republicans in the state.
Collins entered the race in January. At that time, POLITICO reported that five Republican consultants and operatives, speaking anonymously, noted the strained relationship between Collins and DeSantis and did not expect an endorsement from DeSantis if Collins ran.
Before his candidacy, Collins clashed with key staffers in the governor’s office, including Taryn Fenske, a top political aide for DeSantis. He believed they weren’t doing enough to support him, according to three Republican operatives who spoke anonymously.
“Jay expected the staff to do the work for him instead of learning it himself,” a former senior administration official commented. “For someone who often spoke of ‘actions, not words,’ his actions told a different story.”
Recently, Pushaw, a communications adviser for DeSantis, claimed online that Layla Collins, appointed by the governor to the State Board of Education, managed an anonymous social media account that branded DeSantis a “sellout coward.”
Pushaw alleged that Layla Collins used at least two anonymous profiles to first support her husband’s political runs, then to criticize the governor and his team. Jeremy Redfern, who works for Uthmeier and previously worked for DeSantis, suggested Layla Collins should step down from the state Board of Education.
In her own social media post, Layla Collins stated, “Over the holiday weekend, instead of going outside, touching grass, and enjoying America’s 250th birthday, X trolls falsely linked me to a so-called burner account.” She maintained that Pushaw had not proven it was her account. Lt. Gov. Jay Collins shared this post a day later.
This controversy arose following a heated debate between Collins and other gubernatorial candidates, excluding Donalds. During the debate, Collins fumbled when primary rival James Fishback asked who voted for DeSantis in 2018. Collins hesitated, later explaining he was moving to the state after military service.
The ongoing exchanges with Collins occur just over a month before the Aug. 18 Republican primary. Polls indicate Donalds, who has a significant fundraising edge, maintains a strong lead over his GOP opponents.
On Tuesday, Collins asserted, “We have a lane. The data shows we have a real path to victory. I have new polling that proves this. I will not be intimidated into dropping out. I will not allow this race to be rigged. I won’t be scared off by deceitful swamp creatures.”
“I will continue to protect and fight for the people of Florida,” Collins added. “I stand with our Governor and First Lady, despite these unfounded accusations.”
Andrew Atterbury contributed to this report.
