GOP Primary Rival Backs Democrat Taddeo's Insurance Record in Florida CFO Race

A Republican who challenged Blaise Ingoglia for the GOP's Chief Financial Officer nomination earlier this year is now publicly praising Democrat Nikki Taddeo's record on insurance reform, marking the latest sign of bipartisan crossover in Florida's competitive CFO race.

Dr. Frank Collige posted on Facebook this week that he is "ashamed" of the current Republican CFO's voting record and sees in Taddeo "someone who has demonstrated a willingness to stand up for Floridians when it comes to insurance reform." Collige, a Republican, argued that insurance reform should transcend party lines and called for an independent CFO willing to hold insurance companies accountable. "My loyalty is to the people of Florida, not to a political party," he wrote.

The statement drew a sharp response from Florida GOP Chairman Evan Power, who suggested on X that Collige's primary challenge against Ingoglia was meant to divide Republicans. The endorsement also came as the GOP's newest attack ad against Taddeo appeared to backfire—critics noted the ad accused her of supporting legislation that Ingoglia himself voted for and Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law. The bill was authored by former Florida GOP Chairman Joe Gruters, now RNC Chairman.

Recent polling shows the race tight. Five public surveys have found Taddeo and Ingoglia tied or nearly even, with the latest from the conservative James Madison Institute putting both at 43 percent among likely voters, even as Republicans lead other statewide races by double digits. Taddeo's campaign is emphasizing affordability, government accountability, and property insurance—issues she says transcend partisan divides.