.jpg)
Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Jay Collins
Jarrid "Jay" Collins (born April 28, 1976) is an American politician and Army veteran who has served as the 21st lieutenant governor of Florida since August 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a member of the Florida Senate from 2022 until his resignation in 2025.
Born and raised in Montana, Collins served in Army Special Forces for over 20 years. In 2019, he moved to Florida to raise his family and was elected to the Florida Senate in 2022. During his tenure in the state senate, he was a staunch ally of Governor Ron DeSantis. In August 2025, he was appointed as lieutenant governor, succeeding Jeanette Nuñez.
Collins was born in Scobey, Montana. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in health sciences and pre-medicine from American Military University, and a Master of Science in organizational leadership from Norwich University.
Collins served in the United States Army from 1995 to 2018, including as member of the United States Army Special Forces. During his career, he was assigned to the United States Army Special Operations Command, Special Warfare Medical Group, 7th Special Forces Group, and 1st Special Forces Group.
As a Green Beret medic, Collins deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, and twice to South America. During his 2007 Afghanistan deployment, he was shot in the arm and helped perform surgery on himself in the field of battle. A few months later, he sustained injuries that would eventually lead to the amputation of his leg years later. Following his amputation, Collins re-qualified as a fully deployable Green Beret and served over five more years on active duty. He retired from the U.S. Army at the rank of first sergeant.
His military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Soldier's Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Military Freefall Parachutist Badge, and numerous other personal, unit, and service awards. He is also a recipient of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command's Major General John K. Singlaub/Jedburgh Award.
In July 2021, Collins announced his candidacy for the U.S. Congress, challenging incumbent Democratic congresswoman Kathy Castor for Florida's 14th congressional district. In May 2022, he withdrew from the race and re-filed his campaign to run in the newly drawn 15th congressional district. After Laurel Lee announced her candidacy for the 15th district, Collins dropped out of the race for Congress and announced his candidacy for state senate in June 2022.
After announcing his candidacy for Florida's 14th Senate district, Collins received the endorsement of Governor Ron DeSantis and was unopposed in the Republican primary. In November 2022, Collins was elected to the Florida Senate after defeating incumbent Democratic state senator Janet Cruz. His district encompassed areas of downtown Tampa, south Tampa, MacDill AFB, and northwestern Hillsborough County.
Hub AI
Jay Collins AI simulator
(@Jay Collins_simulator)
Jay Collins
Jarrid "Jay" Collins (born April 28, 1976) is an American politician and Army veteran who has served as the 21st lieutenant governor of Florida since August 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a member of the Florida Senate from 2022 until his resignation in 2025.
Born and raised in Montana, Collins served in Army Special Forces for over 20 years. In 2019, he moved to Florida to raise his family and was elected to the Florida Senate in 2022. During his tenure in the state senate, he was a staunch ally of Governor Ron DeSantis. In August 2025, he was appointed as lieutenant governor, succeeding Jeanette Nuñez.
Collins was born in Scobey, Montana. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in health sciences and pre-medicine from American Military University, and a Master of Science in organizational leadership from Norwich University.
Collins served in the United States Army from 1995 to 2018, including as member of the United States Army Special Forces. During his career, he was assigned to the United States Army Special Operations Command, Special Warfare Medical Group, 7th Special Forces Group, and 1st Special Forces Group.
As a Green Beret medic, Collins deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, and twice to South America. During his 2007 Afghanistan deployment, he was shot in the arm and helped perform surgery on himself in the field of battle. A few months later, he sustained injuries that would eventually lead to the amputation of his leg years later. Following his amputation, Collins re-qualified as a fully deployable Green Beret and served over five more years on active duty. He retired from the U.S. Army at the rank of first sergeant.
His military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Soldier's Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Military Freefall Parachutist Badge, and numerous other personal, unit, and service awards. He is also a recipient of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command's Major General John K. Singlaub/Jedburgh Award.
In July 2021, Collins announced his candidacy for the U.S. Congress, challenging incumbent Democratic congresswoman Kathy Castor for Florida's 14th congressional district. In May 2022, he withdrew from the race and re-filed his campaign to run in the newly drawn 15th congressional district. After Laurel Lee announced her candidacy for the 15th district, Collins dropped out of the race for Congress and announced his candidacy for state senate in June 2022.
After announcing his candidacy for Florida's 14th Senate district, Collins received the endorsement of Governor Ron DeSantis and was unopposed in the Republican primary. In November 2022, Collins was elected to the Florida Senate after defeating incumbent Democratic state senator Janet Cruz. His district encompassed areas of downtown Tampa, south Tampa, MacDill AFB, and northwestern Hillsborough County.