Jimmy Patronis | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2025 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromFlorida's1st district | |
| Assumed office April 2, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Matt Gaetz |
| 4thChief Financial Officer of Florida | |
| In office June 30, 2017 – March 31, 2025 | |
| Governor | Rick Scott Ron DeSantis |
| Preceded by | Jeff Atwater |
| Succeeded by | Blaise Ingoglia |
| Member of theFlorida Public Service Commission | |
| In office January 2, 2015 – June 25, 2017 | |
| Appointed by | Rick Scott |
| Preceded by | Eduardo Balbis |
| Succeeded by | Gary Clark |
| Member of theFlorida House of Representatives from the6th district | |
| In office November 7, 2006 – November 4, 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Allan Bense |
| Succeeded by | Jay Trumbull |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jimmy Theo Patronis Jr. (1972-04-13)April 13, 1972 (age 53) Panama City, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Katie Patronis |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Gulf Coast State College (AS) Florida State University (BS) |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Jimmy Theo Patronis Jr. (/pətroʊnɪs/pə-TROH-nis; born April 13, 1972) is an American politician serving as theU.S. representative forFlorida's 1st congressional district since April 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the fourthchief financial officer of Florida from 2017 to 2025. He previously served as a member of theFlorida Public Service Commission from 2015 to 2017; a member of theFlorida House of Representatives representing the 6th district, which includesPanama City and other parts of southernBay County, from 2006 to 2014; and as a member of theFlorida Elections Commission from 1998 to 2003.[1][2][3][4]
Patronis was born inPanama City, Florida, on April 13, 1972, ofGreek descent. Patronis attendedGulf Coast Community College, where he graduated with anassociate degree in restaurant management in 1994, andFlorida State University, where he graduated with abachelor's degree in political science in 1996.[5] While at Florida State University, Patronis worked as an intern in theFlorida Senate and theHouse of Commons of the United Kingdom.[6]
After graduation, in 1998, he was appointed by GovernorLawton Chiles to theFlorida Elections Commission and again in 2001 by GovernorJeb Bush where he served until 2003. Patronis also served as chairman of the Bay County Airport Authority from 2004 to 2006.[7]
Due to term limits,Allan Bense, thespeaker of the Florida House of Representatives, could not seek re-election in 2006.[8] Patronis ran to succeed him in the 6th district, which includedGulf County, southernBay County, and westernFranklin County. Patronis won theRepublican primary with 39% of the vote, defeating Lee Sullivan, Cameron Floyd Skinner, and Bill Fisher. In the general election, Patronis defeatedDemocratic nominee Janice Lucas with 67% of the vote. He was re-elected without opposition in 2008. In 2010, he defeated Democratic nominee John McDonald with 78% of the vote.
In 2012, following the reconfiguration of districts, Patronis remained in the 6th District, but it swapped its portions in Franklin County and Gulf County for a further incursion into Bay County. He was unopposed in both the primary and general elections, and thus was re-elected again unopposed. Patronis could not run for the Florida House again after 2012 due to term limits.
In 2015, Patronis was appointed to theFlorida Public Service Commission by GovernorRick Scott for a four-year term.[9] He resigned from the commission on June 25, 2017, upon his announcement as Chief Financial Officer of Florida.[10]
On February 10, 2017, Florida's chief financial officer,Jeff Atwater, announced that he would resign in order to take the position of CFO forFlorida Atlantic University.[11] Governor Scott officially announced the appointment of Patronis on June 25, 2017. Patronis was officially sworn in to complete Atwater's term on June 30, 2017.[12]
Patronis ran for his first full term in the2018 CFO election. Patronis was unopposed in the Republican primary. The Democratic nominee was former state senatorJeremy Ring ofBroward County. Though Patronis and Ring did not debate on stage, the race was noted for its acrimony, with much attention being drawn to Ring's resume atYahoo! and Patronis' close ties with Governor Scott. Despite Ring going into election day with a 5-point lead in polling, Patronis defeated Ring, receiving 52% of the vote to Ring's 48%.[13]
During the 2019 legislative session, Patronis worked to pass the firefighter cancer relief bill to provide protection and financial coverage to firefighters who are diagnosed with certain types of cancers.[14]
In response to former presidentDonald Trump'sindictments, Patronis promoted a plan to provide up to $5 million in taxpayer funds to Trump to pay his legal bills.[15] A bill was filed to enact this proposal by state senatorIleana Garcia, but was withdrawn after a veto threat by GovernorRon DeSantis.[16][17][18]
Due to Florida'sresign-to-run law, after announcing his candidacy forCongress, Patronis submitted his resignation as chief financial officer of Florida effective March 31, 2025.[19] On July 16, 2025, GovernorRon DeSantis appointedstate senatorBlaise Ingoglia as his successor, serving until the2026 election.[20]
Patronis has been involved in several "pay to play" contribution controversies in his political career. Between 2017-2018, Patronis’ Political Action Committee, Treasure Florida,[21] accepted tens of thousands in political contributions from two Florida-based insurance companies, Simple Health and Health Benefits One,[22] that were legally accused of fraud earlier that year.[23] Despite warnings from theNebraska’s attorney general’s office issued in July 2017 on suspected fraudulent business practices, Patronis accepted $35,000 donation from Simple Health on December 20, 2017, and a second contribution of $15,000 on May 31, 2018.[24] Patronis also accepted a $10,000 donation from Health Benefits One in July 2018.[22] In November 2018, Patronis spokeswoman Katie Stickland said the campaign didn’t know about the alleged fraud[22] and would donate the money to charity, however, Patronis’s own state Division of Financial Services has been investigating both insurance operation for years for allegedly fleecing consumers. (Update: In 2024, theFederal Trade Commission obtained a $195 million judgment against Simple Health for selling sham health insurance).[25]
In 2018, Florida commissioner of financial regulation Drew Breakspear was forced out of office by Patronis after Patronis accepted a $25,000 campaign contribution from a Miami financial advisor who was upset that Breakspear refused to remove customer complaints from his file.[26][27] Patronis denied the $25,000 contribution was a motive for the firing.
In 2019, Florida’s top financial regulator, Ronald Rubin, filed a lawsuit accusing CFO Jimmy Patronis and lobbyist R. Paul Mitchell of orchestrating a “pay-to-play” scheme[28] to solicit $1 million in campaign contributions from Rubin’s father, a wealthy New York investor. Rubin alleged that Mitchell repeatedly called him, implying that Patronis expected the donation in exchange for keeping Rubin in his position. After Rubin refused, he claimed the two conspired to force him out using a sexual harassment allegation as a pretext—one Rubin said was never properly investigated. He was placed on administrative leave and later terminated, prompting Rubin to request a criminal investigation into Patronis’s conduct.
In December 2019, Florida paid $150,000 to settle a harassment complaint filed by a former Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) employee against then-Commissioner Ronald Rubin.[29] The settlement, referring to the employee as "Jane Doe," denied any wrongdoing by OFR. Shortly after, Rubin amended a lawsuit alleging that state CFO Jimmy Patronis misrepresented employee complaints to facilitate Rubin's termination. Rubin contends that Patronis labeled at least one complaint as "sexual harassment" and withheld key details from Governor Ron DeSantis and theFlorida Cabinet, leading to Rubin's dismissal in July 2019. Patronis's office disputes these claims, labeling them as misleading and false.[30]
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Upon there-election of Donald Trump asPresident of the United States,CongressmanMatt Gaetz wasnominated to becomeUnited States attorney general.[31] Gaetz resigned from theU.S. House of Representatives shortly after the announcement, triggering aspecial election inFlorida's 1st congressional district.[32] On November 25, 2024, Patronis declared his candidacy for theUnited States Congress and wasendorsed by then-President-electDonald Trump.[33]
Patronis defeatedDemocratic nominee Gay Valimont in the special election.[34] During the campaign, Valimont outraised Patronis 3-to-1 incontributions.[34]
On April 2, 2025, Patronis was sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives bySpeakerMike Johnson.[35][36]
Patronis and his family have run Captain Anderson's, a historic seafood restaurant in Panama City, for over 50 years. He is currently a partner in the business.[citation needed]
Patronis met his wife Katie in 1998 when her uncle, a family friend, introduced them at Captain Anderson's. They were married in 2006 and have two children. She currently works as a real estate agent in Panama City.[37]
Patronis is anEastern OrthodoxChristian. He is a lifelong member to St. John's Greek Orthodox Church in Panama City, Florida.[38]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Chief Financial Officer of Florida 2017–2025 | Succeeded by Susan Miller Acting |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forChief Financial Officer of Florida 2018,2022 | Most recent |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromFlorida's 1st congressional district 2025–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 431st | Succeeded by |
| State treasurers(1845–1941) |  | |
|---|---|---|
| State treasurers and fire marshals(1941–60) | ||
| State treasurers, insurance commissioners, and fire marshals(1960–2003) | ||
| Chief financial officers(since 2003) | ||
| State comptrollers(1845–2003) | | |
|---|---|---|
| Chief financial officers(since 2003) | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
