TALLAHASSEE—Blaise Ingoglia, a top ally to the governor and former chair of Florida's Republican Party, was sworn in as chief financial officer on Monday.
Ingoglia, a former state senator, was sworn in by Florida Supreme Court Justice John Couriel in the state Capitol building. He was joined by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who appointed the Spring Hill Republican to the role last week.
"You are not going to see anyone fight harder for the taxpayers and the consumers than I will," Ingoglia said moments after being inaugurated, where his wife, Julie, held the Bible. "I'm planning on hitting the ground running."
DeSantis agreed, lauding Ingoglia as a politico who won't be a "useless squish" or "window dressing," but will actually "answer the call" to sign off on Florida's checks, oversee insurance, and lead as the chief fire marshal.
"He's running towards the fire," DeSantis added.
Though appointed and now the incumbent, Ingoglia will have a steep challenge in defending his seat against state Sen. Joe Gruters and the Trump media machine during the August 2026 election.
A Trump-DeSantis proxy war will be waged in the form of the CFO race, as Trump-endorsed Gruters and DeSantis-backed Ingoglia—two top Republicans who both served as former GOP chairs—battle it out in the months leading up to the primary.
Gruters, a Sarasota Republican, was already endorsed by Trump to be the next CFO before Rep. Jimmy Patronis vacated the cabinet office to run for Congress. But like DeSantis and Trump, DeSantis and Gruters have rarely seen eye-to-eye on most conservative issues, including aspects of illegal immigration enforcement and marijuana usage.
Soon after DeSantis appointed Ingoglia, Gruters hired the Trump advisers responsible for the infamous "pudding fingers" attacks on DeSantis during the 2023 presidential race.
Ingoglia, meanwhile, has positioned himself as a leading DeSantis ally in the state legislature—a role that became rapidly controversial during the 2025 session as GOP lawmakers attempted to distance themselves from the terming-out governor.
