TAMPA, Fla. — Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has chosen a conservative legislative ally as Florida's chief financial officer, a statewide elected position vacated when Jimmy Patronis ran successfully for Congress in a special election this year.
The new CFO is state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, a 54-year-old homebuilder and occasional professional poker player from the Tampa Bay area.
Ingoglia will serve the remainder of Patronis' term and could run for reelection in 2026, where he would likely face GOP state Sen. Joe Gruters, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump.
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DeSantis said at a news conference Wednesday that Ingoglia has been a stalwart supporter of the GOP agenda in the state Senate and would focus as CFO on issues such as property tax relief, insurance affordability and audits of local governments to uncover wasteful spending.
"I am going to be a proactive fiscal watchdog for Florida," Ingoglia said. "I've had a history of calling out wasteful spending, whether it’s Democrats or Republicans."
Ingoglia is originally from the New York City borough of Queens and moved to Florida in 1996, according to his biography. He previously served in the state House and is a former chair of the state Republican Party. He was first elected to the state Senate in 2022.
Ingoglia is also the former chair of the Florida GOP, state representative and has served in the state Senate since 2022. He currently chairs the Banking and Insurance Committee and told us this year the insurance market was recovering without the need for more major reform.
"All of that is working its way through the process, and we're seeing some positive effects," Ingoglia said. "But I think what people forget is that insurance premiums are based upon projected losses. So the more we can do by making the coastline and the homes that are on the coastline more resilient when hurricanes hit, there are fewer losses, savings, and premiums, and that's what I'm focused on."
He is now on track for what will likely become a firestorm Republican primary to keep the CFO's office. He'll face state Sen. Joe Gruters, who has the endorsement of President Donald Trump. He recently referred to it as a "golden ticket" for his chances.
Democrats are already reacting with dismay at Ingoglia's selection.
Chair of the state party, Nikki Fried, said this in a statement:
"If Blaise Ingoglia is appointed Chief Financial Officer, Floridians can expect more of the same: political games and zero accountability. During his decade in the Legislature, Ingoglia consistently sided with insurance companies—voting for bills that padded their profits while everyday Floridians saw their premiums skyrocket. Since 2014, he's had the chance to stand up for consumers and lower costs, and he chose not to. Florida deserves a CFO who will take on the insurance crisis, not another political hack who helped create it."
