Bait-and-switch? Ron DeSantis skips Jay Collins’ telephone town hall, raising more questions about lack of support

Lt. Gov. Jay Collins’ political committee promoted a call with supporters featuring Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday.

“Hi, this is Florida Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins. I called to invite you to participate in a telephone town hall meeting with me and Gov. Ron DeSantis. If you have any questions about this call, please give us a call back,” went a voicemail message received by Florida Politics.

But those who heard the call say the Governor was nowhere to be found, suggesting that the man who appointed Collins to serve as Lieutenant Governor earlier this year continues to withhold his own support for the man he called the “Chuck Norris of Florida Politics.”

Indeed, the 14 minutes of the call we heard finds Collins praising the Governor fulsomely, but DeSantis’ absence lingered as Collins was fed questions from a host.

DeSantis’ schedule showed he interviewed with Fox News’ Jesse Watters at 8:20 p.m. He discussed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and immigration from Somalia during that segment.

DeSantis’ schedule was clear otherwise after a 10 a.m. press conference earlier in the day. So official duties did not get in the way.

Earlier this week, when asked if he would get involved in the race to replace him, DeSantis demurred, saying simply, “we’ll see.”

Collins is polling in single digits despite months of earned media, including uncritical interviews from a host of pro-DeSantis outlets where he has punted on questions of his intent to run. He has also benefited from millions of dollars in ads from the Florida Fighter political committee, spots that imply the Governor supports him with a positive soundbite.

But it’s clear that all of this hasn’t moved the needle.

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A.G. Gancarski and Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics contributed to this report.