Finally.
More than two months after he appointed then-Rep. Mike Caruso to serve as Palm Beach County Clerk, Gov. Ron DeSantis has called for a race to replace him in House District 87.
DeSantis issued an executive order[1] Friday demanding a Special Election next year. The Primary, if there is one, will be held Jan. 13, the same day[2] the 2026 Legislative Session’s regular meetings are scheduled to begin.
The General Election, if one is necessary, will take place March 24 — 11 days after[3] Session is expected to end.
DeSantis appointed Caruso, a fellow Republican, as Clerk on Aug. 18[4], 67 days ago.
By comparison, in July, he took just a week[5] to call a Special Election to replace Democratic Rep. Joe Casello after Casello’s death and roughly the same amount of time to call another contest to fill a vacancy former Sen. Blaise Ingoglia left when the Governor tapped him as Chief Financial Officer.
Five candidates are listed as running for the HD 87 seat in the 2026 election cycle, though one — Tracy Caruso, Mike Caruso’s wife — dropped out[6] of the race last month.
If the remaining four transfer over to the Special Election, the list will include two Republicans — Lake Clarke Shores Council member Jon Maples and real estate agent Gretchen Miller Feng — and two Democrats — small-business owner Emily Gregory and comedian Laura Levites.
HD 87[7] covers a coastal portion of Palm Beach County. It includes portions of Palm Beach Gardens and Jupiter, along with coastal communities from Juno Beach to Hypoluxo.
In late August, Maples notched a notable endorsement from Palm Beach Gardens Rep. Meg Weinberger, a fellow Republican who earned the nickname “MAGA Meg[8]” for support she has received from Donald Trump-aligned politicos and the President himself[9].
Maples is also leading all candidates in fundraising, with $69,000 collected through Sept. 30, plus another $14,000 in self-loans.
References
- ^ executive order (www.flgov.com)
- ^ same day (www.wmnf.org)
- ^ 11 days after (www.flhouse.gov)
- ^ on Aug. 18 (www.flgov.com)
- ^ just a week (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ dropped out (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ HD 87 (www.flhouse.gov)
- ^ MAGA Meg (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ and the President himself (truthsocial.com)