When Gov. Ron DeSantis tapped Jay Collins this week to be Florida’s next Lieutenant Governor, the Tampa Republican instantly went from an SD 14 freshman to a heartbeat away from the top job .

He’s also rumored to be mulling a 2026 run for Governor — a race that, if he enters, would put him directly in the path of U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds , who’s already got Donald Trump’s blessing and, without going Back to DeFuture, it’s tough to think of a recent Florida pol with the kind of fundraising operation the Naples Republican has in place right now.

To put Donalds’ early money lead into perspective: the last time a non — household-name Congressman ran for Governor with nothing but a Trump endorsement and a truckload of determination, they raised $53.5 million total — as in, from l

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