Newly-appointed Lt. Gov. Jay Collins isn’t jumping into the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis.

At least not yet.

DeSantis on Aug. 13 praised Collins for his military background and record as a state senator, touting him as a potential good candidate, but noted the primary for the governor’s race is another year away.

“Jay has been clear: This has been about doing a mission. Politics will take care of itself,” DeSantis said at an event in Tampa.

Collins, 47, was elected to the Florida Senate for a district covering part of Hillsborough County in 2022 after being recruited to run by DeSantis. A Green Beret with tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Collins was lauded by DeSantis for standing with him during his push for illegal immigration enforcement laws earlier in the ye

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