Blaise Ingoglia
Ingoglia is a Hernando County homebuilder who served in the Florida House and then the Florida Senate and previously chaired the Republican Party of Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed him Chief Financial Officer on July 16, 2025, after Jimmy Patronis resigned March 31, 2025, to run for Congress; he took office July 21, 2025. Since taking office his most visible initiative has been leading Florida DOGE audit teams reviewing city and county spending. He won the Aug. 18, 2026 Republican primary with about 61% over Frank Collige.
How they got on the ballot: Won Aug. 18, 2026 Republican primary with 61% (968,222 votes) over Frank William Collige, 39% (610,860) (News4Jax results; FOX49).
Positions on the major issues
Compare with opponents →Each entry describes what the candidate has said or done, and what they say they will do, in neutral terms with sources. The chip shows how that relates to the statement voters rate in the matching tool.
Taxes & spending Strongly agrees· stated position
Ingoglia launched his campaign for a full term saying he would target government waste and pursue tax cuts, and says Florida has room to cut taxes while still funding essential government services. His 'Florida DOGE' (later renamed Florida Agency for Fiscal Oversight, FAFO) audits assert that local governments have overspent and should cut budgets rather than raise revenue.
Property taxes Strongly agrees· stated position
Ingoglia's campaign launch video advocated eliminating property taxes in Florida, and he has described his DOGE/FAFO audits of city and county spending as a 'prelude to a constitutional amendment for property tax reform.' He has held press conferences across the state arguing local governments can absorb property-tax cuts by eliminating what he calls wasteful spending.
"To provide meaningful property tax relief, we must first show taxpayers how their money is being spent."
Property insurance Leans disagree· stated position
Ingoglia credits the 2022-2023 lawsuit (tort) reforms he supported as a legislator for stabilizing the market and lowering premiums, pointing to declining litigation, lower reinsurance costs and Citizens policyholders returning to private insurers. He has not proposed rate caps or expanding Citizens; as CFO he has emphasized enforcement, announcing more than $2 million in fines against eight insurers for claims-handling misconduct after Hurricanes Ian and Idalia and pledging accountability for insurers.
"Four years ago, our insurance market was near collapse, which is why I stood alongside our Governor to create historic lawsuit reform, cut out the waste, fraud and abuse, and strengthen our insurance market. Those reforms are working, and Florida homeowners are seeing the benefits."
Housing affordability Leans agree· based on record
Voted for the Live Local Act (SB 102, 2023), which funded affordable-housing programs and preempted some local zoning limits for affordable projects.
Immigration Strongly agrees· based on record
As a state senator Ingoglia voted for SB 2-C (Feb. 2025), the special-session law that created a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, made entering Florida as an unauthorized immigrant a state crime and required local cooperation with federal detention; his campaign site says he 'passed nation's toughest anti-illegal immigration law.'
"Passed nation's toughest anti-illegal immigration law"
Abortion Strongly disagrees· based on record
Voted for SB 300 (2023), which limits most abortions to six weeks, and for HB 5 (2022), the earlier 15-week limit, while serving in the Legislature.
Guns Strongly disagrees· based on record
Voted for HB 543 (2023), which allows carrying a concealed firearm without a permit, and in 2018 voted against SB 7026, the post-Parkland law that created the red-flag process and the 21-and-over purchase rule. His 2026 campaign ad says 'I own guns.'
"I own guns."
Education & school choice Strongly agrees· based on record
Voted for HB 1 (2023), which made every Florida student eligible for a state-funded scholarship usable at private schools or for home education.
Elections & voting Strongly disagrees· based on record
Voted for SB 90 (2021), which added identification requirements for mail-ballot requests, limited drop-box hours and required mail-ballot requests to be renewed each election cycle; his campaign site says he 'strengthened voter ID and election integrity laws.'
"Strengthened voter ID and election integrity laws"
Crime & policing Leans agree· stated position
Ingoglia lists 'standing up for first responders' as a campaign priority and argues local governments should fund police and fire first; he has not proposed specific sentencing changes as CFO.
"The very first things that they should be funding are fire and police."
Gender identity laws Strongly agrees· based on record
Voted for SB 254 (2023), which bars gender-affirming medical treatment for minors and restricts it for adults, and his campaign says he 'led efforts to protect ... parental rights.'
Trump administration Strongly agrees· stated position
Chaired the Republican Party of Florida from 2015 to 2019, including during President Trump's 2016 campaign, and has modeled his CFO audits on the federal DOGE effort, branding them 'Florida DOGE'.
No public position found on 6 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Health care, Environment & water, Growth & development, Marijuana, Energy & utilities, Veterans. This is reported as unknown rather than guessed from party affiliation; these issues are excluded from this candidate's match score.
Other issues this candidate has raised
- Florida DOGE / FAFO audits of local governments — Leads state audit teams (branded Florida DOGE, later renamed the Florida Agency for Fiscal Oversight, FAFO) that inspect city and county budgets, records and facilities and hold press conferences alleging overspending; says the audits will be followed by an informational campaign ahead of the property-tax amendment. County leaders have responded that the audit figures lack context, including state-mandated spending.
- Insurer accountability and fines — Announced more than $2 million in fines against eight insurance companies for misconduct in handling claims from Hurricanes Ian and Idalia, and campaigns on holding insurers accountable for how they treat policyholders.
- Unclaimed property returns — Touts record monthly returns of unclaimed property by the Department of Financial Services (e.g., $92 million in March 2026 and $88 million in February 2026), with the division reporting more than $847 million returned to Floridians.
- Fraud investigations and arrests — His office's investigators have announced arrests in a scheme to defraud the state and he highlights anti-fraud enforcement (insurance fraud, public-assistance fraud) as part of his record.
- State Fire Marshal — As CFO he also serves as State Fire Marshal and as a member of the Florida Cabinet.Sources: About the CFO (myfloridacfo.com)
- Local government spending audits (FAFO) — Says his Florida Agency for Fiscal Oversight audits found billions in 'excessive and wasteful' local spending and that local general-fund budgets grew 60-120% after the pandemic, so counties and cities can absorb property-tax cuts without cutting police and fire.
Record: votes, actions and documented facts
- Appointed CFO by Gov. DeSantis on July 16, 2025 (sworn in July 21, 2025) to fill the vacancy left by Jimmy Patronis.
- Previously served as a state senator and state representative and as chairman of the Republican Party of Florida.
- Gov. DeSantis appointed Ingoglia over state Sen. Joe Gruters, whom President Trump had publicly endorsed for the CFO vacancy (July 2025).
- County officials in Tampa and elsewhere said the CFO's DOGE audit findings lacked context, including spending mandated by the state.
- As a state senator voted for the 2022-2023 insurance and tort-reform package he now credits for premium reductions; the Office of Insurance Regulation and Governor announced rate decreases in January 2026.
- Legislative votes: for SB 2-C immigration enforcement (2025), SB 300 six-week abortion limit (2023), HB 543 permitless carry (2023), HB 1 universal school choice (2023), SB 254 gender-affirming care restrictions (2023), HB 5 15-week abortion limit (2022) and SB 90 election changes (2021); against SB 7026, the 2018 Parkland gun and school-safety law.Sources: SB 2-C (2025 Special Session C) Immigration - Senate roll c… (2025-02-13) · SB 300 (2023) 'Heartbeat Protection Act' (six-week abortion… (2023-04-03) · CS/HB 543 (2023) permitless concealed carry - Senate roll c… (2023-03-30) · CS/CS/CS/CS/HB 1 (2023) universal school-choice scholarship… (2023-03-23) · CS/SB 254 (2023) Treatments for Sex Reassignment - Senate r… (2023-05-04) · CS/HB 5 (2022) - House roll call, Feb. 17, 2022 (78-39) (2022-02-17) · CS/CS/CS/SB 90 (2021) Elections - House roll call, April 29… (2021-04-29) · CS/SB 7026 (2018) - House roll call, March 7, 2018 (67-50) (2018-03-07)
- Announced $2 million in fines against eight insurers for post-hurricane claims handling when launching his campaign (Sept. 2025), calling it 'just the tip of the iceberg.'
- Campaign finance through July 27, 2026 (per Sparker's Soapbox compilation of state filings): about $1.19 million raised directly plus $664,000 in-kind; affiliated committees Friends of Blaise Ingoglia ($6.0 million since 2021) and Government Gone Wild ($3.0 million since 2017).
Endorsements (as reported)
- Gov. Ron DeSantis
- Republican Party of Florida
- Florida Chamber of Commerce
- 60 sheriffs, 16 state senators, 55 state representatives and 13 state attorneys (per campaign website)
- Florida Professional Firefighters, Florida Fraternal Order of Police and Florida Police Benevolent Association (per campaign site, compiled by Sparker's Soapbox)
- Former CFO Jeff Atwater; U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody