Pasco County Republican House member Kevin Steele announced Tuesday that he is running for Florida chief financial officer (CFO), setting up a contested Republican primary election against incumbent Blaise Ingoglia next year.
In a press release, Steele said he hopes to address the affordability crisis afflicting Floridians and “the pressing need to reign in spending and reduce waste across all levels of government.”
“Florida families deserve a CFO who will run our state like a winning business — smart, tough, and with zero tolerance for waste and corruption,” he said.
“As CFO, I will fight to safeguard every hard-earned tax dollar, protect consumers, and hold state government accountable to the people. I’ve spent my career building companies from the ground up, fixing broken systems, and getting results. I’ll bring that same America First, results-driven mindset to protect taxpayers and make Florida more affordable and stronger than ever.”
READ MORE: Ingoglia launches his CFO campaign
Florida U.S. Sen. Rick Scott is endorsing Steele.
“Kevin Steele is a proven leader and a true conservative who knows how to get results,” Scott said in the same press release announcing Steele’s candidacy.
Steele is the wealthiest man in the Florida Legislature. First elected in 2022 and re-elected last year, he reported his net worth at more than $307 million in his 2024 financial disclosure forms. Steele founded the Tampa software company DataLink Software in 2001 and retired from the company in 2022.
Among the bills he has filed for this legislative session is a measure (HB 113) that would require all state university and Florida College System institution board of trustees to rename specific roads or portions of roads after Charlie Kirk. If those institutions decline to do so, Steele’s bill calls for state funds to be withheld.
He’s also filed a resolution for a constitutional amendment (HJR 201) that would eliminate property taxes on homesteaded property.
Divided party?In taking on Ingoglia, appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to succeed Jimmy Patronis as CFO in July, Steele’s candidacy has the potential of dividing the Republican Party of Florida. When Ingoglia was appointed in the summer, he was expected to run against Florida Republican state Sen. Joe Gruters, who had already been endorsed by President Donald Trump. Early polls showed Gruters crushing Ingoglia in a one-on-one contest.
However, Gruters dropped out in August after he was selected to lead the Republican National Committee.
Ingoglia, meanwhile, has received media attention as he travels around the state accusing local governments of engaging in “wasteful and excessive spending,” in a low-level campaign for a proposed constitutional amendment on property taxes in 2026 that has yet to be written.
There has been speculation that Trump will endorse Steele, but that remains to be seen.
No Democrat has filed to run in the contest, according to the Florida Division of Elections website.
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