Palm Beach County GOP pulls Mike Caruso from voter guide amid controversy

After backlash over listing Mike Caruso, who faces five felony child-sex-abuse charges, the Palm Beach County Republican Party posted a revised voter guide that omits his name. The party said it removed the nominee for a constitutional office as soon as it was allowed to do so. State GOP chair Evan Power welcomed the change and reiterated that the party has consistently asked Caruso to step aside, even offering a replacement candidate.

Governor Ron DeSantis called the original inclusion disappointing, noting that some issues outweigh party loyalty. Caruso’s spokesperson asserts that Caruso remains innocent, intends to stay on the ballot, and will continue to serve if elected. Although the guide no longer promotes him, Caruso still appears on the November ballot as the Republican candidate, facing Democrat Yvette Drucker. The county GOP had previously identified Tom Sutterfield as a possible substitute, but Caruso declined to withdraw.