Gov. DeSantis says Interim CFO imminent, with a full-time replacement next month

DeSantis in Tallahassee. Image via Rumble.

Florida won’t be without a Chief Financial Officer for very long.

Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters that a short-term replacement for the exiting Jimmy Patronis will be picked soon. And a longer-term substitute will be in place in May.

“We will have an Acting (CFO) through April. We will appoint somebody in May that will be the full-time official,” DeSantis said.

Questions have been raised about whose signature will be on the back of state checks with Patronis gone. But DeSantis notes that this was a “planned resignation” and doesn’t seem worried about that.

The Governor also gave insight into what he wants to see from his appointment, noting that “some people are expressing interest.”

“We’re vetting. We’re making sure that these are folks that are going to have a really strong agenda when they go in,” DeSantis said.

“I’ve said publicly if people are interested, you know, let us know if you got the qualifications and you’re going to support strong policies. But the reality is we’ve got to go through that process. And so we are doing that and we will have somebody probably no later than the middle of May.”

One potential pick could be Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, a DeSantis supporter from Spring Hill who has bucked an increasingly independent legislative branch this year.

A less likely pick would be a nemesis of the Governor’s, Sen. Joe Gruters.

The Sarasota Republican is already running for the office ahead of the 2026 election and is endorsed by Patronis and President Donald Trump.

Longtime observers of Florida Politics will remember how Patronis came to the office. He was appointed to replace departing CFO Jeff Atwater by former Gov. Rick Scott. From there, Patronis won two terms.

History could well repeat for the eventual appointee here, though if it isn’t Gruters, the Primary next August will be one to watch for a usually under-the-radar Cabinet post.

For his part, here’s what Patronis has to say about his replacement.

“It’s definitely been the best job I’ve ever had in my life. The employees of the Department of Financial Services are world class. They work 24/7, 365, to keep the trains running on time in Florida. And you know, every time that we pay somebody’s retirement check, we pay a bill to a state employee or pay for somebody’s services, you know, we take our job as being stewards of the taxpayer’s dollar very seriously,” Patronis said.

“And you know, whoever the next CFO might be that the Governor decides to pick, there’s an excellent team looking to support him or her in that new endeavor.”

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Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics contributed to this report.