Key background
Caruso has been a key Republican figure in South Florida politics and a loyal supporter of DeSantis. He served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2018 until his resignation in August 2025, during which time he largely voted along party lines for high-profile conservative policies including the Parental Rights in Education bill and restrictive abortion legislation. When DeSantis clashed with House Republican leadership, Caruso stood by him, casting the lone Republican vote against a legislative immigration enforcement package that conflicted with the governor’s agenda. He strongly supported DeSantis during his 2024 presidential primary campaign, even traveling to Iowa in sub-zero weather to help boost support for the governor prior to the state’s caucuses. He was rewarded with the job of Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller of Palm Beach County, to which DeSantis appointed him last summer.
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BIG NUMBER
32. That’s by how many votes Caruso first won his seat in Florida’s 89th House District in 2018. The razor-thin margin of 50.02% to 49.98% triggered a mandatory statewide machine and manual recount of 78,000 votes before he was certified as the winner.
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