Elections
Palm Beach GOP addresses Caruso controversy as Florida House races heat up
PN Team • 3 weeks ago
Palm Beach County Republican Party Chair Carl Cascio addressed the controversy surrounding Mike Caruso, who served about a year as Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller after being appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in August 2025, before being suspended amid child sex charges. Caruso's continued appearance on a voter guide following his arrest drew scrutiny, which Cascio discussed on WFLA's Battleground Florida podcast alongside broader Republican prospects in Florida's midterms.
The podcast also featured Rep. Darren Soto, who is seeking reelection in Florida's 9th Congressional District against Republican Dan Green, a Trump administration Department of Defense appointee whose campaign did not respond to requests for comment. Soto's district, redrawn mid-decade under DeSantis and the Republican legislature, now has more registered Republicans than Democrats. Also featured was Branden Scrivener, a No Party Affiliated, self-described progressive candidate challenging Rep. Gus Bilirakis and Democrat Kimberly Overman in District 12, as independent candidates seek traction in competitive races ahead of November.
Sources:
Sentiment
- Ron DeSantis DeSantis is implicated for appointing Caruso, who is now embroiled in scandal, and for redistricting controversy.
- Darren Soto Soto is presented neutrally as an incumbent seeking reelection with a favorable district redraw noted.
- Donald Trump Trump is mentioned only tangentially as the administration under which Dan Green served.
- Florida's 9th congressional district The district is described factually as redrawn and now more Republican-leaning.
- Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is discussed broadly regarding midterm prospects and a scandal involving one of its appointees, with mixed implications.
- Florida Florida is the general setting for the political races discussed, a neutral geographic reference.
- United States Department of Defense Mentioned only as the department where Dan Green served, a neutral factual reference.