Kevin Guthrie resigns as Florida Emergency Management Chief to join Jay Collins campaign

Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie has resigned to join Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins’ gubernatorial campaign as his running mate. The announcement was made Monday night, shortly before Florida’s Republican primary election.

Guthrie, who has 23 years of experience in law enforcement and emergency management, was selected by Collins to bolster his campaign. The move comes as Collins trails U.S. Representative Byron Donalds in recent polling. Collins described Guthrie as an “operator ready to serve” who has focused his career on disaster preparedness and hurricane response.

Governor Ron DeSantis accepted Guthrie’s resignation, stating that political campaigning should remain separate from state emergency operations. To fill the vacancy, DeSantis appointed Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue to lead the Division of Emergency Management while he continues his current role. DeSantis emphasized that the leadership change would not impact the state’s ability to respond to emergencies during the Atlantic hurricane season.