TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia as Florida’s new Chief Monetary Officer, filling a key cupboard put up left vacant since former CFO Jimmy Patronis stepped down earlier this 12 months to pursue a congressional seat.
Ingoglia, a Spring Hill homebuilder and Republican lawmaker, mentioned he plans to function an lively fiscal watchdog for the state, pledging to concentrate on tax reduction and oversight of insurance coverage firms.
“I’m going to be a proactive, fiscal watchdog for the state of Florida,” Ingoglia mentioned. “The reforms we handed a few years in the past are starting to bend the price curve down on the subject of insurance coverage charges.”
Along with tackling insurance coverage points, Ingoglia mentioned he’ll scrutinize native authorities funds. “We’re going to begin digging in and calling out a few of this wasteful spending,” he mentioned, signaling a more in-depth take a look at metropolis and county budgets.
Ingoglia was elected to the Florida Senate in 2022, representing District 11, which incorporates Citrus, Hernando, Sumter, and a part of Pasco counties. He beforehand served within the Florida Home from 2014 to 2022.
He’s additionally recognized for sponsoring Senate Invoice 1718 in 2023, a sweeping immigration measure that included provisions to void out-of-state driver’s licenses issued to undocumented immigrants, require hospitals receiving Medicaid funds to gather affected person immigration standing, and mandate E-Confirm for employers. The invoice additionally made it a felony to move undocumented immigrants into Florida. Gov. DeSantis signed the laws into legislation in Could 2023.
DeSantis’ selection of Ingoglia defies the needs of former President Donald Trump, who has endorsed fellow Republican state Sen. Joe Gruters for the CFO put up within the 2026 election. When requested concerning the potential battle, DeSantis downplayed it.
“He’s by no means as soon as talked about this to me, so I don’t understand how excessive it’s on his radar,” the governor mentioned of Trump.
With the CFO position now crammed, DeSantis nonetheless has another main emptiness to handle: the lieutenant governor’s workplace. Former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez left her place earlier this 12 months to grow to be president of Florida Worldwide College. State Sen. Jay Collins has been talked about as a attainable alternative.
