Florida Lt. Governor Jay Collins has yet to announce if he’s running in the 2026 GOP gubernatorial primary, but he has joined fellow Republicans in criticizing President Donald Trump’s choice to replace term-limited Governor Ron DeSantis, U.S. Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL).
On Friday, Collins slammed Donalds for demanding the deportation of Afghan nationals in the U.S. in the wake of the Washington, DC shooting of two National Guard members allegedly by an Afghan national living in the U.S. under asylum status.
Collins skewered Donalds for hypocrisy, noting that the Congressman had voted for the ALLIES Act, a bill that added 8,000 Afghan Special Immigrant Visas and sped up visas for U.S. allies during the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Collins wrote: “This is why our party’s base is fed up with D.C. politicians like @ByronDonalds.”
This is why our party’s base is fed up with D.C. politicians like @ByronDonalds.
In 2021, he held one position as a member of Congress. Yesterday, as a candidate, he went on @FoxNews and took the opposite stance-hoping no one would catch it.
Floridians deserve better; they… https://t.co/OCmtDEQXiB
— Jay Collins (@JayCollinsFL) November 28, 2025
Jenna Ellis, the former Trump attorney who in October 2023 pleaded guilty to one felony count of “aiding and abetting false statements” concerning 2020 election subversion attempts, joined the Florida Republican pile-on on social media.
Ellis, who was pardoned by Trump in November, wrote: “The comments are absolutely brutal for Byron. No one in Florida cares that Trump endorsed him. This state backed DeSantis on governance for 8 years straight and we want to keep winning. We care about competence — not consultant-manufactured loyalty tests and endorsement coronations.”
The comments are absolutely brutal for Byron. No one in Florida cares that Trump endorsed him. This state backed DeSantis on governance for 8 years straight and we want to keep winning. We care about competence — not consultant-manufactured loyalty tests and endorsement… https://t.co/QvxaqIoe1x
— Jenna Ellis
(@realJennaEllis) December 1, 2025
When asked in the comments “isn’t Byron leading in the polls?”, Ellis replied, “Undecided is currently leading. Florida wants literally anyone but Byron.”
Another commenter wrote, “Not sure why DJT endorsed Byron so quickly,” to which Ellis wrote, “It was a consolation prize for not choosing Byron for VP or cabinet. Notice how Trump hasn’t said anything since.”
Ellis added: “Florida supports leadership like Trump and DeSantis. We don’t support weak do-nothing former Democrats like Byron just because Trump endorsed him. Trump is regretting endorsing Byron anyway and DeSantis certainly won’t endorse him.”
If your only criticism of me is that I was willing to testify truthfully if called, which is what any decent person would do, that says a lot more about your own character and that you’re a weak follower instead of a leader.
Florida supports leadership like Trump and DeSantis.…
— Jenna Ellis