WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Lawmakers are sounding off on the announcement that state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia was tapped Wednesday by Gov. Ron DeSantis to become the next Florida CFO.
WPTV last spoke with Ingoglia a few months ago in Tallahassee, where he spoke about insurance costs, which he will now be immersed in as CFO.
WATCH BELOW: Here's what these local lawmakers are saying about Florida's new CFO
"We're always making sure insurance companies aren’t trying to game the system," Ingoglia said during an introductory news conference held in Tallahassee.
He has a tough persona with a no-nonsense glare at times.
Ingoglia is now moving into the CFO's office at the state capitol, bringing his strong conservative alignment.
Democrats like state Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boynton Beach, just prefer someone strong to take on the insurance industry
"He is not the insurance commissioner, but he has power to appoint the insurance commissioner and oversee the commissioner," Berman said. "I think we need somebody who is going to be strong as head of the insurance regulatory scene."
That's also the view from one insurance executive who helps oversee three insurers in the state.
"That individual has to set policy that is both consumer-friendly but also investor-friendly," Stacey Giulianti, the legal counsel for Windward Risk Managers. "You want to bring new money, new companies into the state of Florida to compete."
Ingoglia will be in that role at least for now. He's expected to face state Sen. Joe Gruters in the 2026 Republican primary. Gruters has already secured the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
"I enjoy Blaise," state Rep. Toby Overdorf said. "I'm not sure he'll be standing up to the governor at various times, and also that being said, he is a very strong individual who knows a lot of different things."
"It's clearly lining up as a Trump versus DeSantis election for CFO in November 2026," Berman said.
Most agree that it's a positive that the state has a CFO in place as the peak of hurricane season nears.
Matt Sczesny is determined every day to help you find solutions in Florida's coverage collapse. If you have a question or comment on homeowners insurance, you can reach out to him any time.
