Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins has jumped into the gubernatorial race to succeed second-term Gov. Ron DeSantis. “I’m running for Governor because leadership is forged under pressure, not in soundbites,” Collins told Fox News Digital. “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. That experience shaped how I lead and why I believe public office is a public trust.” “We chose to make Florida home for my family because it stands for freedom, opportunity, and personal responsibility. 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. Standing with law enforcement. Protecting communities. And to keep Florida strong,” he added. Last August, DeSantis appointed Jay Collins as Florida’s 21st Lieutenant Governor, filling the vacancy created by Jeanette Nuñez’s transition to the presidency of Florida International University. A former State Senator representing Tampa’s District 14, Collins has rapidly ascended the ranks of Florida leadership. During his swearing-in ceremony, Governor DeSantis underscored Collins’ reputation for toughness and resilience, famously dubbing him the “Chuck Norris of Florida politics.” While Collins has established himself as a formidable legislative presence, his identity is fundamentally rooted in his 23 years of military service. A highly-decorated Green Beret and Purple Heart recipient, Collins’ military career is defined by extreme grit. After being shot in the arm during a firefight in Afghanistan, Collins — a senior medic — famously assisted in performing surgery on his own limb, using a war surgery manual to save it. His resilience was tested further after a mortar blast sent him falling 25 feet, causing severe spinal and internal injuries that led to years of chronic, ischemic pain. Despite his leg “dying” to the point of being blue and hairless, Collins continued to serve until the pain became unbearable. In 2014, he underwent a leg amputation; remarkably, he re-qualified for service within a year, returning to the Green Berets for five more years of active duty. This “never-quit” ethos, forged on a farm in Montana and hardened in combat, remains the cornerstone of his political brand. In recent interviews, including an in-depth appearance on “Facing South Florida,” Collins has leaned into his military background to discuss international diplomacy and law enforcement. Collins maintains a warrior’s perspective: “Everything is earned … competition drives excellence.” Whether discussing constitutional originalism or the capture of foreign dictators, Collins positions himself as a leader shaped by service, emphasizing that he is “owed nothing” and is prepared to fight for Florida’s future with the same intensity he brought to the battlefield.

Elon Musk took to X to announce he’s seeking full custody of his one-year-old son after the boy’s mother made pro-trans comments. Musk shares his son, Romulus, with Ashley St. Clair, the formerly conservative influencer. St. Clair has changed her stance on transgenderism, prompting Musk to make his custody claim. “I will be filing for full custody today, given her statements implying she might transition a one-year-old boy,” Musk said early Monday morning. St. Clair didn’t indicate on X any plans to allow her son to transition, but instead apologized to anyone she may have hurt with her anti-transgender comments in the past. “I feel immense guilt for my role. And even more guilt that things I have said in the past may have caused my son’s sister more pain,” St. Clair said. “I have been trying incredibly hard privately to learn + advocate for those within the trans community that I’ve hurt.” The “sister” she is referring to is Xavier, who goes by Vivian. He is one of Musk’s 14 children and recently started identifying as a girl. “I also haven’t said much on this because I have gone back and forth over whether my voice would be helpful on the issue since it will be framed as disingenuous or just turning because I’m ‘scorned.’ Even this reply will become right-wing hysteria but yeah I am sorry. Let me know how I can help,” St. Clair said. St. Clair previously worked for the conservative satire outlet The Babylon Bee when she met Musk on X, per a New York Post report. She wrote a children’s book on identity called “Elephants Are Not Birds” and was routinely outspoken on social media about Left-leaning policies. St. Clair attended Trump’s inauguration last year. Since having her son with Musk, however, she has walked back some of her beliefs. “Twitter was way better when it was woke tbh,” St. Clair posted as a jab to Musk, who purchased the social media platform and renamed it X. According to the Daily Mail, St. Clair filed a lawsuit against Musk last February, claiming he told her to keep the baby a secret. She says Musk then cut off communication with her and her son during child support negotiations, which forced her to take legal action. Musk is famously known for having many children with multiple partners. He has twins, Xavier and Griffin, and triplets, Kai, Saxon, and Damian, with his first wife, Justine Wilson. He has X, Exa, and Techno with singer Grimes. He has twins, Strider and Azure, along with Arcadia and Seldon, with Shivon Zilis. He shares Romulus with St. Clair.

Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) announced on Monday that he’d filed a lawsuit jointly naming War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Navy Secretary John Phelan, the Department of the Navy, and the War Department as defendants. In the lawsuit, filed Monday in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., Kelly claimed that Hegseth had overstepped his constitutional boundaries by ordering a Uniform Code of Military Justice review following his participation in the “Seditious Six” video. “Pete Hegseth is coming after what I earned through my twenty-five years of military service, in violation of my rights as an American, as a retired veteran, and as a United States Senator whose job is to hold him—and this or any administration—accountable,” Kelly claimed. “His unconstitutional crusade against me sends a chilling message to every retired member of the military: if you speak out and say something that the President or Secretary of Defense doesn’t like, you will be censured, threatened with demotion, or even prosecuted.” Pete Hegseth is coming after what I earned through my twenty-five years of military service, in violation of my rights as an American, as a retired veteran, and as a United States Senator whose job is to hold him—and this or any administration—accountable. His unconstitutional… — Senator Mark Kelly (@SenMarkKelly) January 12, 2026 Kelly spent the rest of the lengthy post reminding his audience that “military rank is earned, not given” and listing his personal accomplishments — particularly those that showcased his willingness to risk his life for those he served. “I gave everything I had to this country and I earned my rank of Captain, United States Navy,” Kelly said, adding, “Now, Pete Hegseth wants our longest-serving military veterans to live with the constant threat that they could be deprived of their rank and pay years or even decades after they leave the military just because he or another Secretary of Defense doesn’t like what they’ve said. That’s not the way things work in the United States of America, and I won’t stand for it.” Kelly went on to recall his oath to defend the Constitution and claimed that his lawsuit was simply the next phase of that mission: “Our freedom of speech, the separation of powers, and due process are not just words on a page.” “So today, I filed a lawsuit against the Secretary of Defense because there are few things as important as standing up for the rights of the very Americans who fought to defend our freedoms,” he said. Hegseth moved to officially censure Kelly in early January, launching a review of Kelly based on his role in creating a video that encouraged active duty service members to question the legality of their orders in real time. 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. As a retired Navy Captain who is still receiving a military pension, Captain Kelly knows he… — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) January 5, 2026 “Captain Kelly’s status as a sitting United States Senator does not exempt him from accountability, and further violations could result in further action,” Hegseth said at the time. “These actions are based on Captain Kelly’s public statements from June through December 2025 in which he characterized lawful military operations as illegal and counseled members of the Armed Forces to refuse lawful orders. This conduct was seditious in nature and violated Articles 133 and 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, to which Captain Kelly remains subject as a retired officer receiving pay.”

A Nevada ballot measure that would enshrine in the state constitution the right of athletes who identify as transgender to compete on women’s sports teams is likely to be put before voters in November, drawing increased attention to the gubernatorial race. Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo announced the “Protect Girls’ Sports” initiative last week after teasing it throughout last year. The measure would “amend the Equal Rights Amendment to protect fairness and integrity in girls’ athletics,” particularly regarding public funding, according to a press release. “We are taking thoughtful steps to ensure girls’ sports are fair and athletes are safe,” Lombardo, who’s seeking re-election, said in a statement. “It’s important that female athletes have the opportunity to succeed in their athletic field. By bringing together a diverse coalition now, we can establish clear and fair standards that protect generations of female athletes to come.” If the measure gathers enough signatures to qualify for a statewide vote, it would first be on the 2026 ballot as a question, then return to the 2028 ballot for final approval before being added to the constitution. “Title IX was instituted for a reason – to create a level playing field so that girls and boys have an equal chance to succeed in our schools,” petition initiative director Adriana Guzmán Fralick said in a statement. “But there has been an attack on girls’ athletics that seeks to disrupt that equality. The people of Nevada do not support this, and I’m proud to help them make their voice heard on this issue at the ballot box.” The issue is already a hot topic on the campaign trail, as Attorney General Aaron Ford, who is seeking the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, said he does not personally believe athletes who identify as transgender should compete in women’s sports, but nevertheless opposes the ballot initiative, according to the Nevada Independent. “My faith teaches me that every person is a child of God and deserves to be treated with humanity, dignity, and respect,” the Democrat stated, according to the outlet. “And as Attorney General, I will continue defending the constitutional rights of every Nevadan.” On December 23, Ford was listed on an amicus brief in a Minnesota case challenging a ban on transgender-identifying athletes. The brief states that “discrimination against transgender youth—including denying them the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities consistent with their gender identity—can have serious health consequences.” The Daily Wire reported that Ford signed onto a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals amicus brief in 2023 regarding two minors who identified as transgender, and whether or not they could play on a girls’ sports team in Arizona. “Plaintiffs simply want to participate on their school’s girl’s sports teams with their friends,” the brief said. “They have not experienced any of the physiological changes associated with male puberty and have no ascertainable competitive advantage over their cisgender peers,” it continued, saying that the plaintiffs identified as “girls in all aspects of their lives since an early age.” He also signed on to a 2022 amicus brief challenging an Arkansas law on “gender-affirming treatment” for minors. “We must protect our children from discriminatory laws that bar access to necessary, gender-affirming health care,” Ford stated in 2022. “Over and over again, evidence has shown that denying transgender youth access to gender-affirming care has a detrimental effect to their mental health and quality of life.” The Daily Wire reached out to the Ford campaign. At the national level, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on Tuesday in cases related to the issue.