PASCO COUNTY, Fla. – State Rep. Kevin Steele ended his bid for Chief Financial Officer, announcing Thursday he instead plans to seek re-election to his Pasco County House district.
Steele, who founded Tampa-based health-care technology company DataLink Software and has been the wealthiest state lawmaker since he was first elected in 2022, said in a release Thursday the move was a family decision.
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“Being present for them and staying close to home matters most, and I will continue serving the community I am proud to represent with the same dedication and conservative leadership they expect and deserve,” Steele stated.
In November Steele, R-Dade City, jumped into the race, taking on CFO Blaise Ingoglia in the Republican primary. Ingoglia, a former state senator, was appointed CFO last summer by Gov. Ron DeSantis and has helped take the lead on DeSantis’ push to lower property taxes.
Steele was quickly backed for the office by U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, the former Florida governor. Now, Steele said he’s backing Ingoglia to keep the Cabinet position.
Ingoglia has raised $710,713 through his personal campaign account while his political committee Friends of Blaise Ingoglia had around $3.5 million on hand as of Dec. 31.
Steele had raised just $15,341 for the contest and loaned his campaign $5 million as of Dec. 31. He had spent less than $4,000.
The Cabinet job opened last spring when former CFO Jimmy Patronis successfully ran for a congressional seat.
State Sen. Joe Gruters, a Sarasota Republican who in August was elected chairman of the Republican National Committee, continues to keep open a campaign account for the statewide CFO office.