Florida GOP chair Blaise Ingoglia talks momentum shift in Governor’s race

Blaise Ingoglia

Blaise Ingoglia, the Republican Party of Florida’s chair, says he’s feeling increasingly confident about the campaign for Governor.

Wednesday night sees GOP nominee Ron DeSantis debating Democrat Andrew Gillum in Davie, roughly 24 hours after the campaign’s October Surprise dropped (seeming evidence that Gillum accepted tickets to Hamilton from an FBI agent).

Ingoglia told us Wednesday to expect DeSantis, a prosecutor, to ‘bring it home’ to Gillum on the debate stage.

“The new developments are basically old developments,” Ingoglia said, noting that on Sunday night at the CNN debate, Gillum “lied on national TV.”

“Did you pay for Hamilton?” DeSantis asked during the debate. “Andrew, did you pay for the trip?”

Gillum fumbled on DeSantis’ questions Sunday, which Ingoglia sees as exploitable evidence of culpability.

“He had an opportunity to do the right thing when presented with a choice and he didn’t,” Ingoglia said, regarding accepting the Hamilton tickets in the first place.

DeSantis, said Ingoglia, is “hunkered down … doing a lot of debate prep … ready to show the contrast (between the candidates) for what it is.”

Thursday sees one of the most prominent Republicans anywhere — Vice President Mike Pence — supporting DeSantis in Jacksonville, a GOP-friendly media market.

Why Jacksonville? Ingoglia asserted it was about driving the early vote.

Despite polls, which have consistently shown Gillum ahead, Ingoglia believes the homestretch momentum is with DeSantis, and has been for a couple of weeks.

GOP surveys are showing two good trendlines for DeSantis: Independent voters breaking his way, as well as people who have already voted, Ingoglia said.

Public polls can’t be relied upon, Ingoglia said.

They are “off base in their weighting and math,” Ingoglia added, including “inflated numbers … of Democrats for Gillum.”

Ingoglia cited the CNN and Quinnipiac polls specifically, noting they showed 97 and 96 percent of Democrats supporting Gillum.

Barack Obama couldn’t even reach those numbers,” Ingoglia said.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. His work also can be seen in the Washington Post, the New York Post, the Washington Times, and National Review, among other publications. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


6 comments

  • Seber Newsome III

    October 24, 2018 at 8:09 pm

    The momentum is with DeSantis. Gillum is a liar and a corrupt politician, just like the Brown’s in Jacksonville. With that I mean, Corrine, Reginald and Katrina Brown. Lets just call him Andrew Brown.

  • Edward Freeman

    October 25, 2018 at 5:15 am

    There are few that are bigger liars or more corrupt than DeSantis’ mentor, patron and reason for being Donald Trump. People who live in glass houses…

    • Nordonia Nate

      October 25, 2018 at 11:45 am

      Edward…

      Sure there are… Lizzie Warren lied about her ethnicity. Gillum lied about being corrupt. Sanders lied about healthcare. Pelosi opens her mouth and not a shred of truth. One of the biggest liars out there is Obama..

      Edward…

      THIS is about Florida. WHY include Trump? IF you want to include someone…. Include Steyer and the $Millions Steyer is dumping in Florida for Gillum.

      YOU are the last person that should be throwing stones.

  • Ray Tampa

    October 25, 2018 at 8:47 am

    What else is that idiot GOP chair supposed to say? However, in reality he knows that the man who ‘wet kisses’ Trump azz is in over his highly educated head.

    • Nordonia Nate

      October 25, 2018 at 11:48 am

      Tampa Ray….

      Tossing around profane innuendos only confirms your limited ability to make a cogent point..

      Gillum is one of the more corrupt politicians in Florida… Gillum lied to cover it up and immediately played the race card…

      Tampa Ray… Are you one of those racists Dems, too?

  • The1

    October 26, 2018 at 8:23 am

    Who in the world would want to vote for far left-wing radical socialist like Andrew Gillum who’s only going to raise your taxes through the roof, destroy the economy and jobs, and take away your guns and destroy your health care?! I’m an independent voter that saw the debates and I’m going to vote for Ron DeSantis! Andrew Gillum is nothing more than a slick talkin 2.0 Obama and what’s that old saying??? fool me once shame on you, fool me twice… shame on me.

Comments are closed.


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