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<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cThe FHRCC was proud to have joined with President Donald J. Trump in endorsing candidate Jon Maples in the Republican primary, and we will continue our strong support through the March 24 special general election and beyond,\u201d said Speaker-designate Sam Garrison, the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee (FHRCC) Chair.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we begin the 2026 Legislative Session, we are reminded of our Party\u2019s strength of ideas, responsible leadership, and promise of a better Florida, as reasons why voters continue to elect and re-elect Republicans to office.\u201d<\/p>\n
HD 87 runs up the coast of Palm Beach County, spanning Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Juno Beach and Hypoluxo. It\u2019s been without representation since August<\/a>, when Republican Rep.\u00a0Mike Caruso resigned for an appointed job as the Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller.<\/p>\n The prolonged vacancy \u2014 and Gov.\u00a0Ron DeSantis\u2019 delay in calling a Special Election \u2014 became a central issue in the race itself; it left HD 87 voteless during the regular 2026 Legislative Session and even prompted one candidate to try to force the Governor\u2019s hand through the courts.<\/p>\n That candidate was Gregory, a Jupiter-based small-business owner and public health professional who established herself as the most visible Democrat in the race since the vacancy occurred.<\/p>\n She drew attention to her campaign in October<\/a>,\u00a0when she filed a lawsuit to compel DeSantis to call a Special Election, arguing that HD 87 voters were being denied representation as lawmakers prepared to convene in Tallahassee.<\/p>\n The lawsuit was ultimately rendered moot by the Governor\u2019s executive order setting election dates.<\/p>\n On the campaign trail, Gregory focused on public education funding, health care access and property insurance costs. She entered the final stretch of the Primary with a\u00a0clear fundraising advantage<\/a>\u00a0on the Democratic side, having raised more than $101,000 through Jan. 8 and spending nearly $49,000, both outpacing her opponent.<\/p>\n Levites, a Lake Worth Beach resident and first-time candidate, pitched herself as a community advocate and political outsider.<\/p>\n Her campaign focused heavily on the cost-of-living pressures, including property insurance premiums and housing affordability. She also leaned into environmental issues and local infrastructure concerns, including flooding and traffic congestion.<\/p>\n But she struggled in fundraising, adding no outside contributions and loaning her campaign just $450.<\/p>\n The Republican Primary arguably drew more eyes, due to Maples\u2019 public service record and support he gained from high-profile Republicans.<\/p>\n A financial planner and Lake Clarke Shores Council member of two years when he entered the race last year, Maples \u2014 who vacated his Town Council seat to run for HD 87 \u2014 quickly consolidated support from GOP leadership.<\/p>\n He secured backing from the\u00a0FHRCC<\/a>, a slate of\u00a0GOP lawmakers<\/a> and later landed an endorsement from Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n Maples ran as a reliable conservative aligned with Trump-era priorities, emphasizing fiscal restraint, opposition to tax increases and a pro-business climate.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CFPA-Digital-Ad-Sunburn-728x90-1.jpg\")
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