He says he is qualified for the job, and that he would garner enough support from Republican voters if he ran, but will newly-appointed Lt. Governor Jay Collins run against Rep. Byron Donalds in the 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary race?
The answer is a big maybe. Probably.
Collins was one of DeSantis' big allies in the Florida Legislature and by just looking at his resume, he checks off all the boxes, including the military vet one.
That's a big deal.
First Lady Casey DeSantis is all but out of the race before she even got into it.
It was rumored that Mrs. DeSantis was going to run, and Gov. DeSantis even commissioned a poll or two to see if she had a chance to win.
All that changed when the Hope Florida debacle occurred.
But is Mrs. DeSantis out of the race? A new poll has up against Rep. Donalds in a hypothetical match up.
Could First Lady DeSantis get in the race afterall?
If she did, this would mean that Gov. DeSantis would have shunned Collins for second time.
DeSantis looked passed Collins when he appointed Senator Ashley Moody to replace Senator Marco Rubio early this year. Collins was more than qualified for the job and carried much of DeSantis' legislative water over the past two years.
DeSantis himself admitted as much before appointing Collins Lt. governor.
Because Gov. DeSantis wants to preserve his legacy as governor, why not fill the cabinet up with loyalists?
DeSantis tapped his chief of staff James Uthmeier to be Florida's Attorney General and Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, another legislative loyalist, to be the state's chief financial officer (CFO).
AG Commissioner is next. Who will DeSantis tap to fill those shoes?
It is obvious that DeSantis is loading up the cabinet because he probably does not have faith in anyone else to continue his work, especially Rep. Donalds.
He surely isn't going to make it easy for Rep. Donalds, if the popular lawmaker from southwest Florida wins the governorship next year.
During his term in office, DeSantis butted heads with AG Commissioner Wilton Simpson and his relationship with former CFO Jimmy Patronis was a little frosty.
Why not load up the cabinet with 'Yes' men to help finish out his last two years in office?
DeSantis still has Oval Office aspirations, so finishing strong these next two years is pivotal for him were he to decide to run for president in 2028.
The deck would be stacked against him in 2028 with Vice President JD Vance being considered to be the clear choice to follow in President Donald Trump's footsteps.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also a top choice, but recently endorsed a Vance run for president in 2028.
Vance/ Rubio ticket?
Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see if Collins will take a more aggressive, active roll than the one former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez during her term in office.
Word on Adams St is that Collins will run for governor in 2026, and an announcement could come as early as this October.
Let just say the quiet part out loud. A Collins vs. Donalds primary race will really be DeSantis vs. Trump II.
It's just that simple.
