Jay Collins. Florida Lieutenant Governor and Candidate for Governor. Host: Pueschel Schneier, Manager and Executive Producer, The Thornton Review Show.
Early Life & Foundations
Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins was raised and adopted by his grandparents on a small family farm, where he learned the value of hard work, perseverance, and strength under pressure.
When 9/11 happened, Jay was attending Airborne School. He knew then that he needed to step up and take the fight to our enemy and quickly signed up for Special Forces Assessment and Selection. Combat Deployments
After becoming a Green Beret, Collins deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, and South America. During his 2007 deployment, Jay was shot in the arm, continued to fight, and later helped perform surgery on himself in the field.
He sustained injuries that would lead to the loss of his leg years later. Following the amputation, Jay requalified as a fully deployable Green Beret and served five more years on active duty.
Service & Family
After 23 years in the armed forces, Jay joined a nonprofit that distributed millions of meals to veterans, first responders, and families in need.
Jay and his wife Layla — a retired veteran with over 20 years of service — have two young children together. As Floridians, they are committed to the next generation’s future.
From the Senate to Lieutenant Governor
Elected to the Florida Senate in 2022, Jay became one of Tallahassee’s most effective conservatives — carrying constitutional carry into law, protecting veterans from predatory schemes, and standing up for Florida’s farmers and families.
In 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Jay as Florida’s 21st Lieutenant Governor — calling him “the Chuck Norris of Florida politics” and ready to lead on Day One. Now Jay is running to protect that legacy and keep Florida free.
June 16, 2026 **Watch Video: The Thornton Review Show Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins
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