The Mission Profile: Why Casey DeSantis and Jay Collins Are the Conservative Blueprint Florida Needs

Permit me to indulge not in fantasy, but in strategy—political daydreaming with its boots on and a map in hand. You see, I have long believed that Jay Collins would make an excellent Governor, and should he decide to pursue that path directly, he will have my full and vocal support. The man has spine, sense, and the distinction of being one of the few in public life today who understands that duty precedes ambition.

But I also believe Casey DeSantis is ready, and that her candidacy for Governor would represent not merely continuity, but elevation—a transition from strength to strength. Her poise, clarity, and policy chops make her one of the few figures capable of preserving what Florida has become, while preparing it for what it must next withstand. I don’t know if Casey will run. But what I do know is this: she brings the kind of Kirkian conservatism I adhere to, the quiet strength to see it through, and the rare popularity that allows her to enter the game at any point and still reshape the board. Should she run, we just might have the opportunity for the best of both worlds—and in this article, I’ll explain exactly how.

So what follows isn’t a coronation fantasy. It is a conservative blueprint, drawn from principle, not patronage. A tactical alliance that, I believe, offers the best path not only to win the general election, but to win the primary on the merits.

Jay Collins, running for Lieutenant Governor, not as a career placeholder but as a conscious partner to Casey DeSantis, is not merely a ticket—it is a team. A signal to the party, the donor class, and the voter base that Conservatives are not here to cosplay as statesmen. Conservatives are here to build a state worth handing off to the next generation.

This is not a campaign of convenience. It’s a convergence—of strength, clarity, and service. A message to the grifters that their time is up, and to the country that Florida still knows how to govern.

And if that sounds like a bit of romantic idealism, then good. We could use some of that again. Especially when it's tethered to the facts.

Why Jay Collins as Lt. Governor Isn't Just a Power Move—It's a Mission Profile

Imagine if you will: a gubernatorial ticket that doesn’t merely run—it marches, it commands, it leads. Casey DeSantis, poised, principled, and proven, announces for Governor. And who stands beside her as he has already? Jay Collins—Green Beret, state senator, family man, and the very model of what the Founders would’ve imagined if they’d brewed their tea in Tampa.

This is not just a ticket. It’s a signal to the rest of the country that Florida isn’t just a “model” of conservatism—it’s the blueprint.

A Dynamic Duo

Now I am well aware that the Lieutenant Governor role is usually described, with a yawn and a shrug, as “ceremonial” or “mostly symbolic.” But that’s only if you fill it with someone ornamental rather than operational. Former LT Govenor Nunez with the trust of the Governor has shown that that wasn’t the case. In the right hands—and on the right battlefield—it becomes the first line of continuity, the custodian of momentum, and the most visible sign that we don’t just have a leader, we have a team.

Jay Collins isn’t a placeholder by any stretch of imagination. He’s a pace-setter.

In the war room of actual governance—where media fluff collapses and performative populism catches fire like cheap hairspray—it helps to have a man who has already fought for his country, who has already stood against chaos, and who knows that real courage isn’t yelling on X—it’s doing your job when no one’s looking.

A Team, Not a Cult

Let us pause here for a moment of contrast, lest anyone reading this assume we’re speaking of another “alpha male” ticket, hastily duct-taped together with slogans and muscle-flexing. This isn’t Conservative Fight Club. This is Burkean Federalism with Florida spice.

You see, Jay doesn’t need to cosplay toughness. He’s lived it. And he doesn’t need to scream “America First” into a selfie stick while selling discount supplements. He’s been in the actual arena—first in uniform, now in the legislature.

That alone makes him dangerous to the performative class, because he exposes their whole act as just that—an act.

The Conservative Avengers Assemble

Here’s what’s really at stake: With Casey DeSantis at the helm and Jay Collins at her flank, we’re not just securing Florida’s executive leadership. We’re codifying a vision. We’re sending a shot across the bow to the grifters, RINOs, and half-committed consultants who think they can unravel the Florida Model while voters are distracted by social media slap fights.

Add in Blaise Ingoglia’s legislative steel, Mike Caruso’s budget brains and conviction, and James Uthmeier’s constitutional compass, and what you have is something rare in modern politics: a team of servant leaders. Not prima donnas. Not influencers. Leaders.

A Future Worth Investing In

Let me be blunt. Jay Collins would make a great Governor and if he runs we’ll fight to get it done. In fact, if he announced tomorrow, I’d support him in every way possible. But if Casey is running and if he joins Casey now, we get something even more compelling: a handoff with grace, strategy, and the power of continuity. A bridge from DeSantis to what comes next, built not from ego but from service.

In an age of slogans, Jay Collins reminds us that duty still matters. In a party choking on self-referential hashtags, Casey DeSantis offers class, vision, and calm. Together, they turn Florida into the flagship—not just of conservatism—but of intelligent, human-centered, liberty-rooted governance.

The Battle Ahead

Make no mistake: The Florida RINOs have already started sharpening their knives. No doubt they’d fear Jay Collins should he run for governor and most definitely fear this team because it doesn’t need them. It doesn’t flatter them. It doesn’t owe them. It outclasses them both in intellectual weightclass and in actualy class.

Critics will call it a dynasty. But real conservatives know this isn’t inheritance—it’s investment. This isn't about building a dynasty. It's about building a commonwealth—a state not held together by fear or gimmickry, but by virtue, order, and the deliberate hand of those who still believe in building something that lasts longer than a news cycle.

In short: Florida’s future is calling. And if Casey DeSantis and Jay Collins answer together, the rest of us would be fools not to rally behind them.

Because it’s not enough to win the next election. We must deserve to.

And this is what it looks like when we do.

This began not as fantasy, but as strategy. And if enough conservatives are ready to trade theater for leadership, it may yet become history.

Want more clarity in a world of clutter? I cover these topics—and the intellectual battles behind them—on Substack: The Rational Purview become a paid subsriber and help fight “The Swamp” with The Truth.

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