Florida’s Chief Monetary Officer Jimmy Patronis has determined to leap ship from overseeing Florida’s property insurance coverage disaster to pursue what is going to seemingly be a a lot simpler job in Congress. After receiving President-elect Trump’s enthusiastic “RUN, JIMMY, RUN!” endorsement on Reality Social, Patronis wasted no time submitting his resignation letter, efficient March 31, 2025.
From Insurance coverage Woes to Congressional Goals
For these of us who’ve watched Patronis navigate (or maybe extra precisely, bob and weave by means of) Florida’s property insurance coverage disaster, his departure would possibly convey combined feelings. Whereas he hosted insurance coverage city halls all through the state, the tangible outcomes for policyholders have been about as profitable as a paper umbrella in a hurricane.
With Trump’s “Full and Complete Endorsement,” Patronis’s path to Congress appears as easy because the grouper at his household’s well-known Panama Metropolis restaurant. The endorsement virtually ensures his victory within the deeply conservative district, although he doesn’t really dwell there – a minor element in right this moment’s political panorama.
Governor DeSantis now has the duty of appointing a brand new CFO to serve the remaining time period. Nevertheless, DeSantis may be too busy considering his personal political musical chairs, as he’s at the moment contemplating potential appointments for Marco Rubio’s Senate seat – together with, probably, himself.
As Patronis trades the complications of Florida’s insurance coverage disaster for the presumably greener pastures of Congress, I can’t assist however suppose he’ll discover the transition refreshing. In any case, explaining why you voted towards a federal invoice is arguably simpler than explaining to Floridians why their insurance coverage premiums hold skyrocketing with much less protection and fewer client protections even whereas insurers proceed to delay or deny their claims. The reality is that whereas he’s abandoning the state’s insurance coverage issues, he’ll seemingly discover a lot higher success in Congress.
Jimmy Patronis really is a good man to be round, and his deep background within the panhandle of Florida makes him a superb selection as a congressional consultant from that space. I don’t know why nearly each step he took as CFO appeared to be in lockstep with no matter Florida’s insurance coverage foyer demanded as a result of he didn’t want to take action. I do know many will level to political donations from the insurance coverage trade as the explanation for his seemingly one-sided views. However all elected republican Florida politicians obtain a boatload of cash from the insurance coverage trade. Nevertheless, not all proceed to observe the mantra of the insurance coverage trade lobbyists after seeing the place it has positioned Florida householders and policyholders.
Ought to DeSantis resolve to nominate himself to Rubio’s Senate seat, we would see the nearly unknown Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Núñez stepping up as governor, creating one more fascinating chapter in Florida’s political saga. I guess not one in ten Floridians may decide her out of a lineup. Within the meantime, we’ll be watching to see who inherits the difficult position of Florida’s Chief Monetary Officer – and the insurance coverage complications that include it.
Thought For The Day
“The pessimist complains concerning the wind. The optimist expects it to alter. The chief adjusts the sails.”
—John Maxwell
