Florida’s Chief Financial Officer[1] is holding a campaign launch event on Monday as his re-election campaign swings into full gear.
Blaise Ingoglia already announced[2] earlier this month that he’s seeking a new term as the CFO of the state. Ingoglia is holding a kick-off event showcasing his re-election bid in Tampa. The campaign launch rally is at 5 p.m. Monday at the Tampa Firefighters Museum[3], 720 Zack St. in Tampa.
The Blaise Ingoglia For Florida Chief Financial Officer campaign issued a news release advancing the event. The release said, “During the event, Florida conservatives fed up with big government will show their support for CFO Ingoglia’s pledges to hold insurers accountable, cut property taxes and cut out waste, fraud and abuse.”
Ingoglia may be having a kick-off event in his quest to win the statewide CFO post. But he already threw his hat in the ring and has a website[4] saying he wanted the position and all but said he’s in the race.
The website said he’s “Your conservative CFO in action.” And claimed that he’s also a “MAGA businessman,” indicating he’s a backer of all things Donald Trump.
It’s Ingoglia’s first official campaign for CFO. He was appointed CFO in July by Gov. Ron DeSantis after a series of dominoes fell in line for the Republican Party in Florida. Previous CFO Jimmy Patronis vacated the post to run for Florida’s U.S. Congressional Seat 1 in the Panhandle.
That U.S. House of Representatives seat was vacated by Matt Gaetz, who was initially nominated for U.S. Attorney General shortly after Donald Trump was elected President in November. Initially, Gaetz wanted the job and resigned from the Congressional seat to go through the nomination process for the Department of Justice’s top slot. But he balked and bailed on the nomination before it got to Congressional confirmation hearings, though he had already resigned from his House seat.
Patronis quickly positioned himself to run for the vacated Congressional post, which he eventually won in a Special Election in the seat that represents Northwest Florida.
The CFO post is up for election Nov. 3, 2026, though the Republican Primary election is set for for August. Patronis faces competition from fellow Republicans Frank William Collige and Benjamin Horbowy. State Sen. Joe Gruters announced he would be running for the job, but withdrew when he was elected Chair of the Republican National Committee. No Democrat has officially declared candidacy for the post.
Ingoglia is no stranger to elections. The Spring Hill Republican is a former member of the Florida House of Representatives and the former chair of the Republican Party of Florida.
Ingoglia has engaged in several high-profile moves since being appointed to the CFO job. He has adopted what he calls Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) spats with some local governments.
This month he has charged at news conferences both Orange County and Orlando[5] along with Jacksonville[6] governments are overtaxing residents in those municipalities as part of his DOGE claims. He also says he’s the protector of taxpayers on the local level.
Both Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, each a Democrat, have clapped back at Ingoglia, claiming he’s grandstanding and overreaching on many of his claims.
Post Views: 0
References
- ^ Chief Financial Officer (myfloridacfo.com)
- ^ announced (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ Tampa Firefighters Museum (www.tampafirefightersmuseum.org)
- ^ website (blaiseforflorida.com)
- ^ Orange County and Orlando (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ Jacksonville (floridapolitics.com)