Peter Schorsch
Freshman Sen. Blaise Ingoglia earned several key appointments to committees for the 2023 Legislative Session, including two Chairmanships.
Senate President Kathleen Passidomo appointed Ingoglia, an ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis, to a total of nine committees, including as Chair of the Finance and Tax Committee and alternating Chair of the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee.
Ingoglia will also serve on committees for Appropriations; Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations; Banking and Insurance; Children, Families and Elder Affairs; Criminal Justice; Ethics and Elections; and the Select Committee on Resiliency.
Ingoglia, a Spring Hill Republican, represented HD 35 for eight years. He succeeded former Senate President Wilton Simpson.
Ingoglia appeared to have the Senate seat on lock, after DeSantis endorsed him for the race, clearing would-be challenger Rep. Ralph Massullo from the field. That was until a Green Party candidate entered the race at the last minute, but Ingoglia won in the ruby red district with 75% of the vote in Senate District 11.
Now, he’s looking to make good on the Governor’s goal of cutting taxes by $1.1 billion, working with the Legislature to ensure there are tax cuts aplenty.
Ingoglia, since landing the Governor’s kingmaker endorsement, has remained steadfast in his support for both DeSantis and his agenda.
“I am thankful to the voters of SD 11 for their overwhelming support in electing me their next State Senator. I ran on a platform of stopping illegal immigration, securing our elections and saving our economy. I promise to continue to work hard and fight side-by-side with Gov. DeSantis to take on the Left and their woke ideology that is destroying our country,” Ingoglia said after he was elected.
Ingoglia will have an opportunity to flex his new leadership in a Special Session scheduled for next week to address property insurance issues, particularly from his membership on the Banking and Insurance Committee.
In the regular Legislative Session, Ingoglia will play a key role in shaping the state’s next budget through his work in the Appropriations committee and an appropriations subcommittee. He’ll also work to recover funds expended in response to Hurricane Ian while working on the Select Committee on Resiliency.
From his perch on the Criminal Justice and Civil, Criminal Justice, Appropriations and Ethics and Elections committees, Ingoglia will also have an opportunity to drive policy aligned with his campaign priorities, which included a heavy emphasis on public safety and elections.
His district, which includes Florida’s largest senior population center in The Villages, will also benefit from Ingoglia’s work on Children, Families and Elder Affairs.
