Lt. Gov. Collins Denies Rumors of Gubernatorial Campaign Suspension

The Tampa Republican says there is a '0% chance' he's about to end his campaign for governor.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 2:09am

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A photorealistic painting in the style of Edward Hopper, depicting a lone campaign sign standing on a sun-dappled urban street corner, casting long shadows across the pavement. The scene conveys a sense of quiet contemplation and political uncertainty.As rumors swirl around his gubernatorial campaign, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins seeks to project an image of stability and resolve.Cape Coral Today

Lt. Gov. Jay Collins took to Twitter on Thursday night to forcefully deny rumors that he was about to suspend his campaign for Florida governor. Collins called the rumors '100% BS' and said there is a '0% chance' he will be withdrawing from the race anytime soon. The speculation had swirled after Collins canceled a meet and greet event in Cape Coral and missed a Central Florida Tiger Bay meeting, which often precedes a candidate withdrawing from a race.

Why it matters

As a sitting lieutenant governor, Collins' campaign for the state's top job has been closely watched. The denial of the withdrawal rumors helps quell speculation about the viability of his campaign, which has struggled to gain traction against front-runner Byron Donalds in the Republican primary.

The details

Collins raised over $1.6 million to his political committee and more than $143,000 to his campaign account in the most recent fundraising period. However, one donor was responsible for $1 million of the committee's collections - United Again, LLC, a company reportedly tied to Body Armor CEO Michael Repole, a major backer of Gov. Ron DeSantis' campaigns. Collins has blamed 'suppression polling' for his slow start, as he languishes in single digits in surveys while Donalds consistently polls between 40-50% statewide.

  • On Thursday night, Collins tweeted to deny the withdrawal rumors.
  • Collins canceled a meet and greet event in Cape Coral and missed a Central Florida Tiger Bay meeting on Friday.

The players

Jay Collins

The Republican lieutenant governor of Florida who is running for governor.

Byron Donalds

The front-runner in the Republican primary for Florida governor, who has raised $22 million in the most recent fundraising period.

Ron DeSantis

The current Republican governor of Florida, who has not yet endorsed Collins in the gubernatorial race.

John Cardillo

A senior advisor to Collins' gubernatorial campaign.

Paul Renner

Another Republican candidate for Florida governor.

James Fishback

Another Republican candidate for Florida governor.

Michael Repole

The CEO of Body Armor, a company that has reportedly donated $1 million to Collins' political committee.

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What they’re saying

“There is a zero percent chance that I'm about to suspend my campaign. That is in fact a 100% b——- rumor.”

— Jay Collins, Lieutenant Governor of Florida

“(Paul) Renner and (James) Fishback surrogates know their campaigns are done, so instead of conceding professionally they are now resorting to flat out lies. We raised twice as much as Renner in Q1 and nearly 8x Fishback. Our momentum is growing as they fade away.”

— John Cardillo, Senior Advisor to Jay Collins' Campaign

What’s next

Collins will need to continue campaigning and fundraising aggressively to overcome Donalds' lead in the polls and fundraising. The governor's endorsement could provide a significant boost to his campaign, but DeSantis has not yet indicated if or when he will make an endorsement.

The takeaway

The denial of withdrawal rumors helps stabilize Collins' campaign, but he still faces an uphill battle against the better-funded and higher-polling Donalds in the Republican primary. Collins' ability to gain traction and secure DeSantis' endorsement will be crucial to his path forward.