In a testy exchange with a lawmaker, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins said he believes Gov. Ron DeSantis likely is on the autism spectrum.
Florida Politics obtained a screenshot of messages between Collins and Rep. Alex Andrade that included the assessment by the former Senator, who DeSantis tapped last week to be his Lieutenant.
Andrade, a Pensacola Republican, did not share the text. He did verify the authenticity of the conversation. In it, Andrade speculated if DeSantis had Asperger’s syndrome, a high-functioning condition that has been folded into autism spectrum disorder.
“Incredibly successful people have Asperger’s. DeSantis shows obvious signs that he could be on the spectrum. He’s an incredibly successful Governor,” Andrade wrote.
“Yes, they do have real success. And you can try and justify your actions (or) just accept it. You’re screwed up and move on,” Collins replied.
While the context of the exchange is unclear, Andrade confirmed the conversation happened shortly after he appeared on a podcast on April 23 with Laura Loomer. Asked about the fact many in Tallahassee believe the Governor to be autistic, Andrade said “I’m one of them.” That prompted immediate online criticism from Layla Collins, Jay Collins’ wife.
“Using Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) as one of your petty insults is low and despicable,” Layla Collins posted on X at the time. “You are truly in a pathetic place when this is all you have. She signed the post as “mom of a great ASD kiddo.”
The post occurred at a point of significant tension between DeSantis’ administration and the House.
Andrade, as Chair of the House Health Care Budget Subcommittee, headed an investigation of Hope Florida, which was spearheaded by First Lady Casey Desantis. That put him in conflict with the administration, which was the main subject of the Loomer interview.
Collins, who rode a DeSantis endorsement into his Senate seat in 2022 , was an ally of DeSantis within the Legislature, including during the scandal around Hope Florida.
Andrade in the text exchange pressed Collins on whether DeSantis “might have Asperger’s. Just yes or no.”
“Yes he is,” Collins replies. “But it still doesn’t change the fact that you’re trying to change the subject, misdirect and redirect, because you don’t want to accept responsibility.”
The revelation of the text conversation comes as Collins flies to California to extradite an undocumented immigrant facing vehicular manslaughter charges after a fatal crash in St. Lucie County. The deadly incident has become a hot-button political topic amid the policy debate surrounding illegal immigration, and the trip makes Collins a face of Florida’s tough-on-crime policies.
The exchange comes as speculation mounts on whether DeSantis will endorse Collins to run as his successor as Governor in 2026.
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