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Saturday, January 17, 2026

Category: Politics
20 hours ago
NatSec
Politics

A Gubernatorial Donation Is Raising More Concerns About This Dem Congressman’s Ties to China.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: Representative Eric Swalwell’s (D-CA) gubernatorial campaign received $9,999 from a California-based office of the DeHeng Law Offices, a firm with deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Eric Swalwell, DeHeng Law Offices, and Keliang “Clay” Zhu, a partner at the firm’s Silicon Valley office.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: The donation was revealed in election filing earlier this week.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “Congressman Swalwell must finally stop playing footsie with America’s foremost adversary: Communist China.” – Michael Lucci, founder of the anti-CCP nonprofit group, State Armor Action

🎯IMPACT: The donation raises questions about foreign influence in U.S. politics and has prompted calls for campaign finance reform.

IN FULL

Representative Eric Swalwell‘s (D-CA) gubernatorial campaign recently received a $9,999 donation from the Pleasanton, California-based office of DeHeng Law Offices, according to a filing released this week. The law firm has deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), having been originally established as a subsidiary of the CCP’s Ministry of Justice in the early 1990s before rebranding as DeHeng Law Offices in 1995.

Keliang “Clay” Zhu, the sole partner at the firm’s Silicon Valley office, has a history of assisting Chinese state-owned enterprises in acquiring stakes in U.S. companies. Zhu’s bio highlights his role in facilitating over $9 billion in investments across sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), industrial automation, and biopharmaceuticals in the United States. He has also represented Chinese enterprises in negotiations with U.S. federal departments, including the Department of Commerce and the Department of the Treasury.

Michael Lucci—founder and CEO of State Armor Action, an anti-CCP nonprofit research group—criticized the donation and called for immediate reforms to campaign finance laws. “Congressman Swalwell must finally stop playing footsie with America’s foremost adversary: Communist China,” Lucci stated. He also urged Congress to define donations made on behalf of foreign adversaries as bribes and to impose criminal penalties on those involved.

DeHeng Law Offices is known for its longstanding cooperation with the Chinese government, including major state-owned enterprises and CCP departments. Several senior partners at the firm have direct ties to Chinese political organizations, such as the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which operates as a key mechanism for CCP influence and policy consultation.

Swalwell’s previous ties to China have also drawn scrutiny. He was romantically linked to Christine Fang (Fang Fang), a suspected Chinese intelligence operative, during his time in Congress. Although Swalwell claimed to have cut ties with Fang after being warned by U.S. intelligence, Republicans removed him from the House Intelligence Committee in 2023.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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January 15, 2026
Immigration
Politics

Noem Confirms She Has Spoken With Trump About Invoking Insurrection Act.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed discussions with President Donald J.  Trump about invoking the Insurrection Act regarding anti-ICE demonstrations in Minneapolis.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Secretary Noem, President Trump, Minnesota state authorities, and violent anti-ICE demonstrators.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: Discussions occurred on Thursday concerning events in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “We did discuss the Insurrection Act. He certainly has the constitutional authority to utilize that.” Sec. Kristi Noem

🎯IMPACT: Trump warned he may invoke the Insurrection Act if local authorities fail to address violent anti-ICE protests effectively.

IN FULL

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem acknowledged that she has discussed with President Donald J. Trump the possibility of his invoking the Insurrection Act to quell violent anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Earlier on Thursday, Trump announced in a post on Truth Social that he is considering invoking the law to deploy U.S. military to the city unless Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) and local Democrat officials put an end to the violent unrest targeting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations and personnel in the state.

“We did discuss the Insurrection Act. He certainly has the constitutional authority to utilize that,” Sec. Noem said outside the White House on Thursday, adding, “My hope is that this leadership team in Minnesota will start to work with us to get criminals off the streets. Remember, we are there and surged operations because of the largest fraud scheme in American history.”

Noem’s comments came after President Trump warned earlier in the morning, “If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State.”

Civil unrest in Minneapolis has intensified in recent days following the fatal shooting of an anti-ICE activist after she attempted to run over a federal immigration officer last week. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported late Wednesday that two individuals attacked an ICE agent with a broomstick and a snow shovel during an attempted detention of a Venezuelan man. The Venezuelan man was shot in the leg during the incident.

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January 14, 2026
Lawfare
Politics

Democrats Win Redistricting Battle at Ninth Circuit.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: Federal judges dismissed Republican claims that California’s Proposition 50 gerrymandered map is discriminatory, allowing the state to proceed with redrawn congressional districts.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: California Governor Gavin Newsom (D), Attorney General Rob Bonta (D), Secretary of State Shirley Weber (D), and Republican challengers led by State Assemblymember David Tangipa (R).

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued on Wednesday by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals after a December hearing.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “The decision upholds the will of the people. It also means that, to date, every single challenge against Proposition 50 has failed.” – Attorney General Rob Bonta.

🎯IMPACT: The ruling could allow Democrats to secure up to five additional seats in the U.S. House, bolstering their efforts in the 2026 midterms.

IN FULL

California Democrats secured a legal victory Wednesday as a panel of federal judges rejected Republican claims that Proposition 50, a measure allowing the state to redraw congressional districts, is discriminatory. The measure, approved by voters last November, is expected to help Democrats gain up to five additional U.S. House seats, potentially aiding their efforts to reclaim Congress in the 2026 midterms.

Governor Gavin Newsom (D), who spearheaded the Prop 50 initiative, celebrated the decision on social media. Newsom’s office posted, “Can’t spell Republican without an L,” on X (formerly Twitter), while Newsom himself posted the phrase “FAFO,” an acronym for “F—k around and find out.”

Republicans argued that the redrawn districts unfairly favor Latino voters at the expense of other racial groups. However, Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) praised the court’s decision, stating, “The decision upholds the will of the people. It also means that, to date, every single challenge against Proposition 50 has failed.” He added, “I couldn’t be prouder of my team for successfully defending this ballot initiative in court on behalf of Governor Newsom and Secretary of State Weber.”

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its ruling after a three-day hearing in December. California voters had approved the new district map in November, and this decision further solidifies its implementation. State Assemblymember David Tangipa (R), part of the Republican group challenging the measure, previously indicated plans to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court should the Ninth Circuit rule against the plaintiffs.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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January 14, 2026
Corruption
Crime
Politics

Impeachment Articles Filed Against Walz Amid Somali Fraud Scandal.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz faces four articles of impeachment related to alleged fraud and mismanagement in state programs.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Governor Tim Walz and Republican lawmakers, led by State Representative Mike Warner.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: Minnesota, January 2026.

🎯IMPACT: The Minnesota House will reconvene next month to potentially proceed with impeachment, requiring a Senate trial for removal.

IN FULL

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) faces four articles of impeachment, marking another significant blow to the failed Democratic vice presidential nominee. This comes after he had recently abandoned his bid for re-election amid mounting allegations related to his responsibility for widespread fraud in the North Star State, much of it perpetrated by the Somali community.

The four articles of impeachment are as follows:

Article I: Violation of Oath of Office through Concealment of Fraud, which accuses Walz of knowingly concealing or permitting the concealment of systemic fraud, despite multiple warnings, audits, and reports indicating that there was abuse.

Article II: Interference with Oversight and Investigations, which accuses Walz of obstructing or interfering with lawful oversight, investigations, or corrective actions related to fraud, for example, by shutting down whistleblowers, failing to act on evidence of issues, and presenting obstacles to investigations and reforms.

Article III: Prioritizing Political Considerations Over Lawful Administration, which accuses Walz of prioritizing political objectives, such as courting popularity among the Somali community, over his duty to perform his administrative functions fairly and effectively.

Article IV: Failure to Steward Public Funds, which accuses Walz of having allowed taxpayers to be defrauded of potentially billions of dollars through his negligence and weakening of various safeguards.

The Minnesota House is scheduled to reconvene next month, at which point impeachment proceedings could formally start. If the House votes to impeach, the state senate would conduct a trial to decide Walz’s guilt and possibly remove him from office.

Notably, hundreds of whistleblowers in the state administration have accused Walz not merely of incompetence, but of overseeing a regime that actively threatened retaliation against state workers attempting to bring fraud scandals to light.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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January 14, 2026
News
Politics

Top Trump Ally Orban Faces Electoral Disaster. Here’s Why…

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Hungary has announced its parliamentary elections will take place on April 12, with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán facing a significant political challenge.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, opposition leader Péter Magyar, President Tamás Sulyok, and the Hungarian electorate.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: The election is set for April 12, with the official campaign period starting on February 21, in Hungary.

💬KEY QUOTE: “One of the cornerstones of democracy is the right to vote freely.” – Tamás Sulyok

🎯IMPACT: The election will determine whether Orbán retains power or if Péter Magyar and the opposition can capitalize on dissatisfaction with the government.

IN FULL

Hungary will hold its next parliamentary election on April 12, President Tamás Sulyok has announced, setting the stage for a closely watched contest that could alter the country’s political trajectory. The vote comes at a difficult moment for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has been in power since 2010 and now faces his most serious challenge in years. Independent opinion polls indicate that Orbán’s national populist Fidesz party is trailing the opposition Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, a former government insider placed at the head of an alliance of virtually every other party in the country, with the tacit backing of the European Union (EU) and other globalist entities.

Magyar has gained support by focusing on economic stagnation and high living costs—driven in large part by the inflationary impact on Hungary of the war in neighboring Ukraine, where Orbán has long argued for a peace settlement over open-ended support for Ukraine and a damaging Russo-Western sanctions war.

Orbán has pledged to introduce further anti-corruption reforms and to secure the release of billions of euros in EU funds that remain frozen due to alleged concerns over judicial independence and the rule of law in Hungary, which the EU has often used as an excuse to punish the country for resisting initiatives such as Europe-wide migrant quotas.

Orbán described Hungary under his stewardship as an “illiberal democracy,” prioritizing national sovereignty and popular conservative values over liberal globalist values. His Fidesz party has framed the upcoming election as a stark choice between “stability and chaos,” accusing the opposition of serving the European Union’s interests and seeking to undermine Hungarian sovereignty. The ruling party has also warned that the Tisza party would raise taxes and impose austerity measures if elected.

The official campaign period begins on February 21, when parties and candidates will be able to collect voter signatures and display campaign materials.

The election will take place against the backdrop of several conservative policy moves by Orbán’s government that the European Union is trying to block or overturn. For instance, earlier this year, Hungary adopted a constitutional amendment allowing authorities to protect children from LGBT ideology by effectively banning events like Pride parades, which children are likely to be exposed to.

Orbán has also drawn international attention for his close relationship with President Donald J. Trump, being one of the few world leaders to publicly back the America First leader ahead of the 2024 election. In late 2025, Trump suggested that Hungary could be exempted from U.S. sanctions on Russian energy, citing the landlocked country’s heavy dependence on Russian oil and gas for historical and geographical reasons.

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January 13, 2026
News
Politics

Trump Unhappy With Bondi’s Weak Execution of His Agenda: Report.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with Attorney General Pam Bondi’s performance, criticizing her as weak and ineffective in advancing his agenda.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Attorney General Bondi, and various administration officials and allies.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: These criticisms have been ongoing in recent months, with discussions taking place at the White House and among Trump’s inner circle.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “Folks are desperate for action and just haven’t seen it.” – WarRoom host Stephen K. Bannon.

🎯IMPACT: The tensions highlight ongoing challenges within the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the wider Trump administration regarding the execution of his agenda.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration with Attorney General Pam Bondi, according to reports, accusing her of not aggressively pursuing his legal and political priorities. The President wants the Department of Justice (DOJ) to act more forcefully on matters he considers crucial, and he is reportedly discussing appointing special counsels to do so, due to Bond’s perceived weakness as an enforcer.

Among his reported grievances are Bondi’s mishandling of cases involving former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, which were dismissed by judges. Trump has also expressed dissatisfaction with Bondi’s handling of FBI files related to deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, which has tied his administration to a scandal that previously tarnished the Democrats much more than the American right, given Epstein’s status as a Democrat donor close to the Clintons.

Despite these reports, the President has publicly defended Bondi, saying, “Pam is doing an excellent job. She has been my friend for many years. Tremendous progress is being made against radical left lunatics who are good at only one thing, cheating in elections, and the crimes they commit,” last week.

However, WarRoom host Stephen K. Bannon has stated that Bondi is bleeding support from the MAGA base and from Trump’s inner circle. “Folks are desperate for action and just haven’t seen it,” he said. Reports indicate that several high-profile lawyers have departed Bondi’s DOJ, citing frustration with her management and perceived inefficiency in handling key cases.

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January 13, 2026
William Upton
Politics

New Congressional Minibus Contains Millions in Anti-Trump Deep State Funding.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: The United States Congress has released its Financial Services and General Government and National Security and State “minibus”—with mirror drafts authored by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Congress, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the Helsinki Commission, and Belize.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: The minibus legislation was released on Sunday, January 11, 2026, with funding provisions being exposed over subsequent days.

🎯IMPACT: The legislation includes significant funding for globalist deep state entities like the National Endowment for Democracy and the Helsinki Commission, along with several million dollars for infrastructure projects in Belize.

IN FULL

The United States Congress has released its Financial Services and General Government and National Security and State “minibus”—with mirror drafts authored by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. Concerningly, the legislation includes significant funding for globalist deep state entities like the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the Helsinki Commission, along with several million dollars for infrastructure projects in Belize.

A congressional minibus is essentially smaller omnibus legislation that includes funding for several government departments and agencies, and is often prone to being filled with unpopular spending that would otherwise not pass as a standalone bill. In this case, the latest minibus contains $315 million for the NED, a quasi-autonomous non-governmental organization (NGO) with a long history of targeting conservative journalists and media outlets.

In February last year, anti-Trump neoconservatives were up in arms over the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) moving to freeze funds for NED. The National Pulse reported at the time that many conservative leaders in the United States and around the world contended that NED squanders funds on undermining right-leaning governments in allied nations, such as Hungary, while boosting leftist media and politicians.

The minibus bill also provides reauthorization for the Helsinki Commission—an independent government agency created in 1975 and tasked with monitoring compliance with the Helsinki Accords. However, the agency has morphed over the years into an entity that promotes color revolutions and unauthorized election interference operations in foreign nations. Additionally, the Helsinki Commission has become a key roost for a number of anti-Trump Russia hoax conspiracy theorists, including former John Brennan aide Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Sir William Browder KCMG, and the leftist Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project’s (OCCRP) Drew Sullivan.

Notably, Browder is a staunch proponent of seizing Russian assets outside of normal government procedures—which could trigger significant backlash—and has routinely accused figures like Donald Trump Jr. and Vice President J.D. Vance of parroting Kremlin talk points. Further, the Helsinki Commission maintains ties to Ukrainian propagandist Illia Ponomarenko and former U.S. Congressman Adam Kinzinger, who has become one of the top Russia conspiracy theorists on social media.

Aside from the direct funding and authorization of NGOs that aim to undermine President Donald J. Trump‘s agenda, the minibus also contains, inexplicably, $5.7 million in funds—ostensibly through the now-defunct USAID—for infrastructure projects in Belize. This funding was likely inserted as an earmark request by lawmakers after USAID itself was dissolved, with its key functions being absorbed by the U.S. Department of State.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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January 13, 2026
William Upton
Politics

Clintons Defy Congressional Subpoena for Testimony on Epstein.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton, have both refused to comply with a congressional subpoena compelling their testimony before the House Oversight Committee’s inquiry into the activities of deceased pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, attorneys for the Clintons, the House Oversight Committee, Chairman James Comer (R-KY), Congressman Tim Burchett (R-TN), deceased pedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Supreme Court.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The Clintons were scheduled to testify on Tuesday and Wednesday.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “I hope there might be some charges over at [the Department of Justice].” — Rep. Tim Burchett

🎯IMPACT: The rejection of the congressional subpoena is likely to be the subject of a DOJ criminal referral and extensive litigation regarding the Supreme Court’s decisions in Watkins v. United States and Trump v. United States.

IN FULL

Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton, have both refused to comply with a congressional subpoena compelling their testimony before the House Oversight Committee’s inquiry into the activities of deceased pedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein. The testimony was slated for Tuesday and Wednesday; however, an attorney representing the Clintons stated that neither would appear before the House panel and argued that the congressional subpoena is “legally unenforceable.”

The refusal to testify and rejection of the congressional subpoena could set up a contempt of Congress showdown between House Republicans and the Clintons, with a possible criminal referral to the Department of Justice (DOJ). “President and Secretary Clinton have already provided the limited information they possess about Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to the Committee,” the Clinton attorneys’ letter to Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) reads. “They did so proactively and voluntarily, and despite the fact that the Subpoenas are invalid and legally unenforceable, untethered to a valid legislative purpose, unwarranted because they do not seek pertinent information, and an unprecedented infringement on the separation of powers.”

“Your continued insistence that the former President and Secretary of State can be compelled to appear before the Committee under these circumstances, however, brings us toward a protracted and unnecessary legal confrontation that distracts from the principal work of the Congress with respect to this matter, which, if conducted sincerely, could help ensure the victims of Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell are afforded some measure of justice for the crimes perpetrated against them, however late,” the letter adds.

The Clintons’ attorney cites the Supreme Court‘s Watkins decision, which states, “These are functions of the executive and judicial departments of government. No inquiry is an end in itself; it must be related to, and in furtherance of, a legitimate task of the Congress.” The attorneys contend that the House inquiry is not related to legislative business and, therefore, the subpoenas are unenforceable.

However, not all members of the House Oversight Committee agree with the legal analysis provided by the attorneys for the Clintons. Congressman Tim Burchett (R-TN) stated, “I hope there might be some charges over at [DOJ].”

Further, the Supreme Court has been clear that former presidents do not enjoy blanket immunity for their actions, and the Watkins decision on its face appears intended to apply to Congressional subpoenas involving current and not former members of the executive and judicial branches, suggesting the argument of the attorneys for Bill and Hillary Clinton—neither of whom currently holds office—is a stretch at best.

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January 12, 2026
News
Politics

‘Seditious’ Senator Mark Kelly Just Filed a Lawsuit Against Pete Hegseth, Here’s Why:

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) is suing the War Department and War Secretary Pete Hegseth over actions to demote him and cut his retirement pay.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Sen. Mark Kelly, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Navy, the Department of War, and Navy Secretary John Phelan.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: The lawsuit was filed in Washington, D.C., with recent actions stemming from a November video released by Kelly and fellow Democrats.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “Six weeks ago, Senator Mark Kelly—and five other members of Congress—released a reckless and seditious video that was clearly intended to undermine good order and military discipline.” — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth

🎯IMPACT: The Department of War contends that Kelly’s current status as a U.S. senator does not exempt him from accountability.

IN FULL

U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) filed a federal lawsuit on Monday against the Department of War and War Secretary Pete Hegseth over action to demote him and cut his retirement pay after Kelly urged military service members to “refuse illegal orders” in a video with other Democratic lawmakers. Notably, neither Kelly—a retired U.S. Navy officer—nor his colleagues actually defined what would constitute an “illegal order,” spurring allegations that the video was intended to encourage unlawful dissent in the military.

Filed in Washington, D.C., the lawsuit names Sec. Hegseth, the Department of War, the U.S. Navy, and Navy Secretary John Phelan as defendants. Sen. Kelly claims these actions are politically motivated and tied to a feud with the Trump administration.

In November last year, Kelly joined five other Democratic lawmakers, dubbed the “Seditious Six,” in a video telling service members that they were obligated to refuse illegal orders. Following this, Hegseth issued a letter censuring Kelly, stating that his remarks undermined good order and discipline within the military.

“Six weeks ago, Senator Mark Kelly—and five other members of Congress—released a reckless and seditious video that was clearly intended to undermine good order and military discipline,” Hegseth said earlier this month, adding: “The Department of War—and the American people—expect justice.” The Department of War clarified that Kelly’s current status as a U.S. senator does not exempt him from accountability. Further violations could lead to additional actions.

Following the formal censure in early January, Kelly was given 30 days to respond, prompting the current lawsuit.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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January 12, 2026
Politics

Florida Lt. Gov Jay Collins Enters Wide-Open GOP Primary for Governor.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: Florida Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins (R) announced his candidacy for governor on Monday, joining the race to succeed Governor Ron DeSantis (R), who is term-limited.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, Gov. Ron DeSantis, U.S. Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL), former Florida House Republican Speaker Paul Renner, and James Fishback.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: Announcement made on Monday; the Florida gubernatorial election is in November 2026.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “I’m running for Governor to keep Florida strong and to build on the legacy of leadership that has made our state the model for the nation.” – Jay Collins

🎯IMPACT: Collins enters a competitive GOP primary field, vowing to continue DeSantis’ legacy and back President Donald J. Trump’s America First agenda.

IN FULL

Florida Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins (R) has officially announced his candidacy for governor, entering the race to replace current Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL), who is term-limited. Collins, a former Green Beret, emphasized his leadership experience in his announcement.

“I’m running for Governor because leadership is forged under pressure, not in soundbites. I served over 23 years in the United States military, mainly as a Green Beret, where accountability is real, decisions have consequences, and service comes before self,” Collins said in a statement, adding: “That experience shaped how I lead and why I believe public office is a public trust.”

Collins, who was appointed lieutenant governor by DeSantis in August, referred to his partnership with the current governor in advancing a “bold, conservative agenda.” He stated, “In the Legislature and as Lieutenant Governor, I’ve worked alongside Governor Ron DeSantis to deliver results and advance a bold, conservative agenda. I did not come to chase headlines. I came to deliver results.”

The GOP primary for the gubernatorial race is shaping up to be competitive, with other contenders including Trump-backed U.S. Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL), former Florida House Republican Speaker Paul Renner, and former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) advisor James Fishback. Collins also expressed his intent to be a “strong partner” for President Donald J. Trump, aligning his platform with the America First agenda.

“As Governor, I will be a strong partner to President Trump in fighting for secure borders, a strong economy, and an America First agenda that puts families and freedom first. This moment demands discipline, courage, and leaders willing to do what is right, even when it is hard. I am ready to lead. I am ready to Keep Florida Strong!” Collins declared.

When his appointment as Lieutenant Governor was announced, Collins faced backlash over allegations that a nonprofit group he had worked with since 2018 had mandated diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies and requirements for employees and contractors, with Governor DeSantis defending him against accusations that he is “woke.”

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