Blaise Ingoglia says it’s ‘impossible’ for Christian Ziegler to remain Florida GOP Chair

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. 4/29/21-Rep. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, responds to questions about the bill to regulate how social media outlets control political speech, Thursday at the Capitol in Tallahassee. The House passed the Senate bill and it now heads to the Governor. COLIN HACKLEY PHOTO

Blaise Ingoglia served as Republican Party of Florida Chair during a tense time. The Spring Hill Republican now says it’s not a job current Chair Christian Ziegler can handle while facing a criminal accusation.

Ingoglia, now a state Senator, has joined a list of elected leaders demanding Ziegler resign.

“We have too much at stake in the ‘24 elections,” Ingoglia said. “We cannot take away from the focus of the party-to defeat Joe Biden and the radical left. Christian Ziegler should resign as Chairman of the RPOF so we can get back to the mission at hand.”

News broke last week that Ziegler has been under active criminal investigation for rape since early October.

Without addressing the details of the accusation, Ingoglia said the situation at the very least ensures Ziegler can’t devote his attention fully to the party.

“I know firsthand the time and energy it takes to run the RPOF effectively and efficiently,” Ingoglia said. “These allegations are so serious that it makes it impossible for Christian to lead the Republican Party of Florida at this time.”

Ingoglia served as state Chair from 2015 to 2019. Of note, he faced tension through most of his tenure with then-Gov. Rick Scott. Much of that stemmed from Ingoglia unseating Leslie Dougher, Scott’s hand-picked choice, for the state Chair job.

But tensions were never as bad as the situation Zeigler now faces. Gov. Ron DeSantis has called on Ziegler to resign. That’s a situation Ingoglia never faced, nor did he ever have to deal with criminal allegations.

Additionally, every member of the Cabinet and leaders of the Legislature have called on Ziegler to step aside. So has Scott, once an ally of Ziegler.

Many within the party say even if Ziegler can beat a rape charge, which many consider questionable based on information already released, there’s a lack of confidence in his ability to lead.

A search warrant indicated Ziegler admitted to a sexual encounter with the woman accusing him of rape, and his wife, Sarasota County School Board Member Bridget Ziegler, admitted to participating in a sexual encounter between those two more than a year prior.

“Maybe I am old school,” said House Speaker Paul Renner. “You can do whatever you want to as a couple, but I have a certain viewpoint about the conduct that is consensual and admitted to that I don’t want that guy as my party Chair.”

Even some who initially defended Ziegler have now turned against him. Michael Thompson, Lee County Republican Chair, defended Ziegler to press when word of the investigation leaked. He said that was based on Ziegler telling him personally the rape charge was completely made up.

But after the release of court documents where Ziegler conceded certain details to police, Thompson said he felt lied to.

“I thought about it more. I prayed about it a lot,” Thompson said. “Then I called him and I asked him to resign.”

Ziegler to date has rebuffed any calls to step aside.

“From Congressmen, state elected leaders, prominent social conservative leaders and county party leaders, I have been overwhelmed by the amount of support that has been sent my way,” Ziegler wrote in an email to party leaders Saturday.

But there is a growing number of people within the party now demanding he leave, concerned in part he can neither unify the members or raise any money during a critical Presidential Election.

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Christine Sexton of Florida Politics contributed to this report.