Jimmy Patronis, most GOP Senators to host fundraiser for Joe Gruters

Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis will host a fundraiser in March for Joe Gruters, the candidate Patronis endorsed to succeed him. And more than half of Gruters’ Republican colleagues in the Senate are on the host committee.

Gruters’ Chief Financial Officer campaign sent out an e-vite showing the list of elected officials helping raise money for his 2026 race.

Patronis and Sen. Randy Fine serve as the top hosts. Notably, both Fine and Patronis recently won Republican Primaries for the two vacancies in Florida’s congressional delegation and head into April 1 Special Elections as heavy favorites to win those seats. Both candidates were endorsed by President Donald Trump, who also has endorsed Gruters for Chief Financial Officer.
Besides Fine, 18 other Republican Senators also are part of the host committee.

Senate President Ben Albritton is on the e-vite, as is Sen. Jim Boyd, the Bradenton Republican in line to succeed Albritton. House Speaker Daniel Perez also is on the committee, as is Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson.

That also includes two former Senate Presidents: Don Gaetz and Kathleen Passidomo.

Sens. Jennifer Bradley, Jason Brodeur, Danny Burgess, Colleen Burton, Alexis Calatayud, Ileana Garcia, Erin Grall, Ed Hooper, Stan McClain, Ana Maria Rodriguez, Keith Truenow, Jay Trumbull, Tom Wright and Clay Yarborough are all listed on the e-vite.

So is Tom Gallagher, the state’s first Chief Financial Officer, who served from 2003 to 2007.

The host committee is almost more notable for which Senators are not listed. The fundraiser will be held at the Governors Club March 3 at 6 p.m.

One expected absence is Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, a Spring Hill Republican widely seen as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ likely favorite to appoint as Chief Financial Officer once Patronis vacates the seat at the end of March. Gruters has said he will run in 2026 regardless of who DeSantis appoints to the position.

Some other Senators closely aligned with DeSantis, including Sens. Bryan Avila, Jay Collins and Jonathan Martin, also are not on the host committee for Gruters.

But of the 27 Republicans in the Senate besides Gruters, 19 will be actively raising money for his statewide campaign at the event.