Blaise Ingoglia faces Democrat Marilyn Holleran in SD 11

Blaise Ingoglia faces Democrat Marilyn Holleran in a seemingly lopsided race.

Sen. Blaise Ingoglia’s path to Senate District 11 began two years ago against a Green Party candidate, whom he dispatched with 75% of the vote.

This year his opponent is a Democrat, but the race looks nearly as lopsided.

Ingoglia, a Spring Hill Republican, is seeking re-election against Marilyn Holleran, a retired U.S. diplomat from Hudson.

On paper, it’s not close.

Ingoglia is a past House member, former Chair of the Republican Party of Florida and confidante to Gov. Ron DeSantis. Ingoglia also has a mountain of campaign cash at his disposal.

He’s considered a conservative champion among leading state Republicans. SD 11, composed of Citrus, Hernando and Sumter counties, as well as parts of Pasco, supported Donald Trump in 2020 with close to 70% of the vote.

Holleran has run a low-key campaign on a shoestring budget. She has raised just $9,033 and spent a third of it. Her biggest expense by far was the $1,781 ballot filing fee.

Holleran said voters should have a choice.

“It’s crucial that we elect officials who genuinely care about the concerns of everyday Floridians, focusing on meaningful issues rather than culture wars,” she said.

Ingoglia’s campaign account shows $173,613 in donations with about 45% of it spent. His two campaign committees — Government Gone Wild PAC and Friends of Blaise Ingoglia — have $2.5 million available combined.

More recently, Ingoglia spent $43,000 on radio ads and mail pieces.

He didn’t provide campaign information to the Citrus County Chronicle, and he also did not participate in the newspaper’s candidate interviews. Holleran did, and she later received the newspaper’s recommendation.

Ingoglia, who became known two decades ago for his Government Gone Wild rants, is unabashedly conservative. He ranked No. 20 on Florida Politics’ list of Tampa Bay’s most powerful politicians.

“Blaise Ingoglia has been on the forefront of the Conservative Revolution that’s made Florida the role model for the nation,” the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee said.

Ingoglia’s proximity to DeSantis paid off with the Governor’s endorsement of his 2022 SD 11 campaign, which effectively eliminated an expected showdown with Lecanto Rep. Ralph Massullo. Ingoglia’s lone General Election opponent was Brian Moore of the Green Party.