]You’ve probably seen the name Jay Collins showing up in Florida election headlines and wondered who he actually is. This article breaks down his real background, his military story, his family, and what’s happening with him right now — using only facts that can be checked.
Background
Jay Collins’ full legal name is Jarrid Collins, though almost everyone, including news outlets and his own campaign, calls him Jay. He currently holds the title of 21st Lieutenant Governor of Florida, a job he stepped into in August 2025 after being appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis. Before that, he spent about three years as a Florida state senator representing the Tampa area.
People are searching for him for two main reasons. First, he’s a retired Army Special Forces soldier who lost part of his leg in combat and kept serving anyway, which is a story that stands out even among veteran politicians. Second, he ran for Florida governor in 2026, putting him in the middle of one of the most closely watched Republican primaries in the country this year.
Latest Update
As of AUGUST 18, 2026, here is what’s currently known. Today is the actual day of the Florida Republican primary for governor, and Jay Collins is one of the candidates on the ballot. Vote counting is underway statewide, and full results have not been certified as of this writing, so this article does not claim a winner. Anyone telling you the final outcome right now, before official results are posted, is getting ahead of the actual count.
🗳️ Key Date: The Florida Republican gubernatorial primary is being held today, August 18, 2026. Official results will be released by the Florida Division of Elections once precincts finish reporting.
What is confirmed: heading into primary day, public polling and prediction markets showed U.S. Representative Byron Donalds, who has an endorsement from President Donald Trump, holding a wide lead over the rest of the Republican field, which includes Collins, former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, and investment executive James Fishback. Collins spent the final months of his campaign trying to close that gap, including releasing a lengthy report criticizing Donalds’ record in Congress. None of that settles who actually wins today’s vote — that part is still unconfirmed.
Full Profile
Family and Early Life
Collins was born on April 28, 1976, in the small town of Scobey, Montana. According to his campaign’s own account, he was raised by his grandparents on a family farm, where he says he learned the value of hard work early on. His biological parents’ identities and occupations are not publicly documented in verifiable sources, so that detail is listed as unconfirmed rather than guessed at.
Career Path
Collins joined the U.S. Army in 1995, not long after finishing high school, and trained as a Special Forces medic. He deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, and twice to South America. During a 2007 deployment in Afghanistan, he was shot in the arm and, by his own account, helped treat himself in the field. Complications from later injuries eventually led to the amputation of his leg in 2012. Instead of leaving the military, he requalified as a deployable Green Beret and served five more years, retiring in 2018 as a First Sergeant after 23 years of service.
After the Army, he worked as Chief Programs Officer for Operation BBQ Relief, a nonprofit that cooks and delivers meals to communities hit by disasters. He moved into politics in 2022, winning a seat in the Florida Senate representing District 14 in the Tampa Bay area. He resigned that seat in August 2025 when DeSantis appointed him Lieutenant Governor, and in January 2026 he launched his campaign for governor.
Age
Collins is 50 years old as of August 2026, based on his confirmed birth date of April 28, 1976.
Religion
Public legislative records list his religious affiliation as Christian. Beyond that general label, his specific denomination or church membership is not confirmed in available sources.
Spouse/Partner
Collins is married to Layla Collins, herself a retired 20-year military veteran. Public records indicate the couple married around 2000 and have been together for more than two decades. Some legislative records also list an earlier marriage, to Colleen Collins-Madsen, before 1997, which ended in divorce. That earlier marriage is documented in official legislator records, though details about it are limited.
Net Worth
There is no verified, published financial disclosure figure for Jay Collins’ personal net worth. Numbers circulating online about his wealth are not backed by an official filing that could be confirmed, so any specific dollar figure should be treated as unconfirmed rather than fact.
Parents
As noted above, Collins has said he was raised by his grandparents rather than his parents. The names and backgrounds of his biological parents are not confirmed in public records reviewed for this article.
Height
Collins’ exact height is not published in any verifiable biography, campaign material, or official record. This detail is unconfirmed.
Education
Collins earned a Bachelor of Science in health sciences from American Military University in 2010, graduating summa cum laude, and followed that with a Master of Science in organizational leadership from Norwich University in 2012.
Hometown/State of Origin
He was born and raised in Scobey, Montana, a small town near the Canadian border. He later relocated to Florida in 2018 to raise his own family, eventually settling in the Tampa area.
Official Social Media
You can follow his official account here: @jaycollinsfl on X.
💡 Quick Fact: Florida currently has both a governor and a lieutenant governor with military backgrounds — DeSantis served as a Navy JAG officer, and Collins served in Army Special Forces.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Jarrid “Jay” Collins |
| Born | April 28, 1976, Scobey, Montana |
| Current Role | 21st Lieutenant Governor of Florida (since August 12, 2025) |
| Previous Role | Florida State Senator, District 14 (2022–2025) |
| Military Service | U.S. Army Special Forces, 1995–2018 (23 years) |
| Education | B.S., American Military University; M.S., Norwich University |
| Spouse | Layla Collins |
| Children | Sons Gabe and Colt |
| 2026 Race | Republican candidate for Florida governor; primary held August 18, 2026 |
⚠️ Note on Rumors: Any claim that final primary results are already decided before official certification should be treated with caution. Results take time to be verified by the Florida Division of Elections.
Reader Questions (FAQ)
Is Jay Collins still the Lieutenant Governor of Florida?
Yes. As of August 18, 2026, Collins holds the office of Lieutenant Governor, a position he was appointed to in August 2025. His current term runs through January 2027 unless his role changes based on the outcome of the governor’s race.
What happened to Jay Collins’ leg?
He sustained combat injuries during a 2007 deployment to Afghanistan that eventually led to the amputation of his leg in 2012. He continued serving as a Green Beret for five more years after the amputation.
Who is Jay Collins running against for governor?
In the 2026 Republican primary, his main opponents included U.S. Representative Byron Donalds, former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, and investment executive James Fishback.
Is Jay Collins married?
Yes, he is married to Layla Collins, a retired 20-year military veteran. Together they have two sons, Gabe and Colt.
Did Jay Collins win the 2026 Florida governor primary?
As of August 18, 2026, results are still being counted and have not been officially certified. This article will not claim a winner until that information is confirmed through official channels.
Where was Jay Collins born?
He was born in Scobey, Montana, and was raised there by his grandparents on a family farm before eventually moving to Florida in 2018.
What did Jay Collins do before becoming a politician?
He served 23 years in the U.S. Army, primarily in Special Forces as a combat medic, and after retiring from the military he worked as Chief Programs Officer for the disaster-relief nonprofit Operation BBQ Relief.
✅ Verified Source Tip: For the most current and reliable primary results, check the official Florida Division of Elections website rather than social media posts or unofficial trackers.
Wrap-Up
Jay Collins’ story is really two stories layered on top of each other. There’s the combat medic who kept re-qualifying for one of the toughest jobs in the military after losing part of his leg, and there’s the state politician who moved from the Florida Senate to the Lieutenant Governor’s office in under three years. Both parts of that story are well documented and easy to verify through official records, news coverage, and his own state biography.
The part of his story that isn’t finished yet is the governor’s race itself. He entered a crowded Republican primary as a distinct underdog against a Trump-endorsed frontrunner, and by primary day he was still actively campaigning and pushing back against his rival rather than conceding ground. Where that ends up — whether he wins the nomination, falls short, or ends up back in his current role as lieutenant governor — depends entirely on votes that are being counted as this article is published.
If you’re searching for Jay Collins today, the most useful thing to know is this: his background as a veteran and state official is settled fact, but his political future is genuinely still being decided. Check official Florida election results directly once they’re certified, rather than relying on early predictions, to get the real answer.
Smith Andrew is the Founder and Editor of BiographyCabal. He researches, writes, and edits accurate, engaging, and well-researched biographies of celebrities, entrepreneurs, athletes, influencers, politicians, and other notable public figures. Committed to factual reporting and quality storytelling, Smith ensures every article is reader-focused, informative, and based on reliable sources, helping readers discover the lives, careers, and achievements of influential people around the world.