Tracy Caruso is taking her name out of consideration for House District 87, she announced this week. Caruso was looking to replace her husband, Mike Caruso, in a to-be-determined HD 87 Special Election.
“When Mike was first elected, I chose to live in Tallahassee with him—a choice many spouses don’t make,” Tracy said in a statement to Florida Jolt. “People often asked why I stayed there. The simple answer is that we are married, and I want to live where my husband lives. Seven years later, that feeling hasn’t changed."
Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Mike Caruso to serve as the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller in August. The governor also appointed Tracy Caruso to the Palm Beach State College District Board of Trustees in July.
Tracy Caruso is also notably the Editor At-Large for Florida Jolt.
"Mike has always encouraged me to pursue my own goals and would make anything work, but with Mike’s new role here in Palm Beach County, I know that being home is best for both of us," Caruso added.
Caruso's withdrawal is likely a win for Jon Maples, a Republican financial planner currently running for the seat. Maples was endorsed by Rep. Meg Weinberger (R-Palm Beach Gardens) in August.
Rep. Weinberger, also known as "MAGA Meg," is a strong ally of President Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again agenda. She also represents nearby House District 94, and her support of Maples likely gives him an advantage in HD 87, which covers portions of Palm Beach County.
The Carusos, on the other hand, are friends of DeSantis, evidenced by his recent appointments.
Notably, the governor won Palm Beach County in his 2022 gubernatorial reelection by 19 points over Democrat Charlie Crist. Two years later, Mike Caruso won HD 87 by a similar margin over Democrat Sienna Osta.
Trump lost Palm Beach County by about 5500 votes to Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race. He did, however, go on to win Florida by about 13 points on his way to a second term.
Tracy's exit likely ends any chance of a DeSantis-Trump proxy war in HD 87, a theory speculated by some, with Weinberger in Maples' corner, who arguably becomes the favorite now in the pending election of the race.
