Palm Beach GOP listed Mike Caruso in voter guide despite child sex abuse charges. Then deleted it
By Helen Acevedo
October 5, 2026 at 5:32 PM EDT
Palm Beach County’s Republican Party endorsed Mike Caruso for county clerk of the circuit court and comptroller — despite his child sex abuse charges — listing him on the party's voter's guide.
By Monday night, Caruso's name was removed from the voter's guide.
"For the record, our guide originally listed every Republican nominee, as Florida Statute requires. As soon as we were permitted to remove the nominee running for a constitutional office, we did." wrote county Republican party officials on X.
https://x.com/PalmBeachGOP/status/2107291203867681044
Caruso was arrested on Aug. 18 on charges of kidnapping, lewd or lascivious molestation and child abuse. He was then suspended by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
In a statement, Carl Cascio, chairman of the Republican Executive Committee of Palm Beach County (REC), said he was contacted by the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) and directed to replace Caruso as its nominee if he withdrew from the race.
“Three strong candidates stepped forward: Tom Sutterfield, Forrest Freedman and David Lovett. We organized a special REC meeting on short notice. On Aug. 25, 2026, the REC nominated Tom Sutterfield as the replacement nominee, pending Mr. Caruso’s decision.”
However, Caruso never withdrew. His arrest and suspension did not automatically end his campaign or remove him from the ballot.
On Aug. 29, he was granted a $160,000 bond and allowed to return to Palm Beach County.
READ MORE:Gov. DeSantis suspends Palm Beach County Clerk Michael Allen Caruso following felony arrest
Cascio said that throughout that time, he remained in communication with the governor’s office, the state GOP party and potential candidates, as well as Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link, who granted the party additional time and delayed ballot printing.
“Mr. Caruso has since announced he is remaining in the race and will fight the charges to clear his name,” Cascio said. “He is currently Palm Beach County’s only Republican constitutional officer. Mr. Caruso will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot as the Republican nominee for clerk and comptroller.”
James Fishback, a lifelong Republican who ran unsuccessfully for the party's primary nomination for governor, called the endorsement of Caruso by Palm Beach County Republicans "a disgrace" and called on the Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power and other leaders to end all its support for Caruso.
"The party’s endorsement of an indicted child molester comes at a time when too many DC Republicans dismiss calls to fully release the Epstein Files," he said in a statement referring to the notorious convicted sex offender. "A party that claims to represent law and order cannot credibly do so when it bathes in hypocrisy."
"I'm grateful that Evan [Power] did the right thing," Fishback said after learning the RPOF forced Palm Beach County Republicans to withdraw the Caruso endorsement and delete his name from the voter's guide.
The local party originally included Caruso in its GOP voter guide posted to Instagram on Monday. That post was later deleted.
If Caruso withdraws from the race at any point before the election, the party can appoint a new candidate, but that candidate’s name would not be on the ballot.
Caruso was a state Republican legislator before being appointed to comptroller by DeSantis in 2025. The county clerk and comptroller is responsible for safeguarding Palm Beach County’s public records and taxpayer funds.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
By Monday night, Caruso's name was removed from the voter's guide.
"For the record, our guide originally listed every Republican nominee, as Florida Statute requires. As soon as we were permitted to remove the nominee running for a constitutional office, we did." wrote county Republican party officials on X.
https://x.com/PalmBeachGOP/status/2107291203867681044
Caruso was arrested on Aug. 18 on charges of kidnapping, lewd or lascivious molestation and child abuse. He was then suspended by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
In a statement, Carl Cascio, chairman of the Republican Executive Committee of Palm Beach County (REC), said he was contacted by the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) and directed to replace Caruso as its nominee if he withdrew from the race.
“Three strong candidates stepped forward: Tom Sutterfield, Forrest Freedman and David Lovett. We organized a special REC meeting on short notice. On Aug. 25, 2026, the REC nominated Tom Sutterfield as the replacement nominee, pending Mr. Caruso’s decision.”
However, Caruso never withdrew. His arrest and suspension did not automatically end his campaign or remove him from the ballot.
On Aug. 29, he was granted a $160,000 bond and allowed to return to Palm Beach County.
READ MORE:Gov. DeSantis suspends Palm Beach County Clerk Michael Allen Caruso following felony arrest
Cascio said that throughout that time, he remained in communication with the governor’s office, the state GOP party and potential candidates, as well as Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link, who granted the party additional time and delayed ballot printing.
“Mr. Caruso has since announced he is remaining in the race and will fight the charges to clear his name,” Cascio said. “He is currently Palm Beach County’s only Republican constitutional officer. Mr. Caruso will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot as the Republican nominee for clerk and comptroller.”
James Fishback, a lifelong Republican who ran unsuccessfully for the party's primary nomination for governor, called the endorsement of Caruso by Palm Beach County Republicans "a disgrace" and called on the Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power and other leaders to end all its support for Caruso.
"The party’s endorsement of an indicted child molester comes at a time when too many DC Republicans dismiss calls to fully release the Epstein Files," he said in a statement referring to the notorious convicted sex offender. "A party that claims to represent law and order cannot credibly do so when it bathes in hypocrisy."
"I'm grateful that Evan [Power] did the right thing," Fishback said after learning the RPOF forced Palm Beach County Republicans to withdraw the Caruso endorsement and delete his name from the voter's guide.
The local party originally included Caruso in its GOP voter guide posted to Instagram on Monday. That post was later deleted.
If Caruso withdraws from the race at any point before the election, the party can appoint a new candidate, but that candidate’s name would not be on the ballot.
Caruso was a state Republican legislator before being appointed to comptroller by DeSantis in 2025. The county clerk and comptroller is responsible for safeguarding Palm Beach County’s public records and taxpayer funds.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.