There could be another political proxy war going on between Gov. Ron DeSantis and President Donald Trump in Florida, as the governor is expected to appoint Sen. Blaise Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill) as Florida's new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) within the next 7-10 days, The Floridian has learned.
As reported by multiple outlets, Sen. Ingoglia, a DeSantis ally, was chairman of the governor's state political committee supporting his presidential campaign when he personally transferred $82.5 million into a federal Super PAC that opposed then-candidate Donald Trump. The bulk of the funds Ingoglia directed, although he had nothing to do with how they were personally managed, were used to attack Trump with television and digital ads, including AI-generated deepfakes that fabricated Trump's voice.
Other outlets, including NBC News and Florida Politics, also reported that Ingoglia vehemently worked to secure presidential endorsements in opposition to Trump, who went on to become the GOP nominee.
Trump's pick for CFO is Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota), whom he endorsed way back in March 2024 by calling him a "rockstar" on Truth Social. Both are looking to replace Jimmy Patronis, who resigned from the position for an eventual successful run for Congress in Florida's 1st Congressional District.
DeSantis is also reportedly expected to appoint Sen. Jay Collins (R-Tampa) as Lieutenant Governor. Another close ally of the governor, the move could also position Collins for a run at governor, setting up a possible faceoff with Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds.
According to a recent survey by St. Pete Polls/Florida Politics, Sen. Gruters holds a resounding 50-point advantage over Ingoglia in the race for CFO. Gruters' 59.7% to 10.3% lead is also notably wide after voters are made aware that President Donald Trump has endorsed him for the position.
“The power of the Trump endorsement is a real thing,” said Mark Goodman, Gruters' political adviser, in a press release. “As this poll clearly conveys, there is no escaping the fact that a race between one of Trump’s most loyal supporters and a gentleman who actively opposed Trump in his presidential primaries is really not a race at all.”
The general election is set for Nov 3, 2026.
